Peter Navarro, the White House director of trade and manufacturing policy, called first lady Melania Trump "the Jackie Kennedy of her time" during an interview Tuesday.
Navarro appeared on MSNBC and told host Andrea Mitchell that Trump is a throwback to the Kennedy White House.
"I think it's a beautiful thing having Melania Trump speak from the Rose Garden and Secretary [Mike] Pompeo speaking from the Middle East to celebrate an achievement that really keeps America not only safe but allows us to end those endless wars that the American people really are so tired of — going back to the Bush administration through the Obama administration," Navarro said.
"So, you know, I think it's going to be a great night. You will see — you will see some strong messages about the strength of this presidency."
Last weekend, the first lady unveiled the newly designed Rose Garden, which resembles how it looked when it was designed during the Kennedy administration. She will speak during the Republican National Convention Tuesday evening.
"You know, tonight, maybe [I will] touch a little bit on what's going to happen," Navarro said. "I think it might be useful. I think Melania Trump will be introducing the new Rose Garden.
"You know, I find her to be the Jackie Kennedy of her time, the beauty, the elegance, the soft-spokenness. I think she'll deliver a powerful message to the American people."
Regarding Pompeo's speech — which is controversial because members of the executive branch, except for the president and vice president, are forbidden from engaging in political activity — Navarro said the Trump administration is unlike any of its predecessors.
"We do different things here in this administration," he said.
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