The man who reportedly was an informant for the FBI within Donald Trump’s presidential campaign also sought a permanent position within the Trump administration, Axios reported Monday.

Stefan Halper, an academic China scholar, was recommended for such a post by a man who is now Mr. Trump’s top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, according to Axios.

According to Axios, Mr. Navarro told the incoming administration during the transition period that Mr. Halper, among about a dozen other people, should be considered for an Asian ambassadorship. The two men already knew each other.

Citing “a source briefed on their interactions,” Axios said Mr. Halper was a willing partner, pitching himself for an envoy post. And, Axios wrote, Mr. Halper valso visited the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in August 2017 for a China-related meeting.

Mr. Trump and Rep. Devin Nunes, California Republican and intelligence committee chairman, have both accused the FBI of planting an informant or “spy” within the Trump campaign. Several news outlets have confirmed such a person, though some have not identified him.

The Daily Caller and the Wall Street Journal have both named the person as Mr. Halper, which does not directly contradict the profile drawn by other news outlets such as the Washington Post and the New York Times.

However, the White House downplayed the report to Axios, saying that “recommending outside policy experts for roles within the administration is a pretty typical and routine action for White House officials.”

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