Donald Trump has publicly distanced himself from two close advisers, Chris LaCivita and James Blair, after reports that they traveled to the Balkans to advise the pro‑Russian government of Republika Srpska during a critical period of U.S. midterm election planning. Trump posted on Truth Social that the pair are “outside consultants” who do not work for him and that he would terminate them if a conflict of interest were discovered.
LaCivita, who served as Trump’s 2024 co‑campaign manager, and Blair, formerly the president’s White House deputy chief of staff, were reportedly paid hundreds of thousands of dollars through a Washington, D.C. law firm retained by Republika Srpska’s government. The payments were made ahead of Sunday’s elections in the self‑governing territory in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the nationalist party controlling the region aligns closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Following their departure from the White House, Blair now leads the Trump‑connected super PAC MAGA Inc., while LaCivita works as a senior adviser for the group. Trump has stated that the advisers are independent consultants with multiple clients, and he has not identified any specific conflict.
The revelations come amid broader scrutiny of lobbying and financial ties between Trump allies and the Republika Srpska government, which has reportedly paid more than $4 million to lobbyists and operatives with connections to the president and the Republican Party since Trump returned to office last year. These activities are said to have influenced the Trump administration’s decision to lift sanctions against Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik and his associates.
