Trump Campaign Aides Criticized for Advising Pro-Russian Group Amid Midterm Push
Two key advisors to Donald Trump's midterm campaign efforts reportedly collected significant consulting fees from Republika Srpska, a Bosnian entity with ties to Russia, drawing criticism from within the Republican party.
Two prominent advisors involved in former President Donald Trump's midterm election strategy have reportedly been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to consult for a pro-Russian entity in the Balkans, a move that has sparked internal criticism as Republicans face challenging election forecasts.
James Blair, a former White House deputy chief of staff, and Chris LaCivita, a co-manager for Trump's 2024 campaign, are said to have visited Republika Srpska, a self-governing territory within Bosnia and Herzegovina, for consulting fees shortly before the territory's elections. The pair were put in charge of Trump's political operation for the upcoming midterm elections.
Republika Srpska has reportedly aligned itself with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has sought to cultivate ties with former President Trump. The elections in Republika Srpska took place on a Sunday, with the nationalist party securing a decisive victory, though some reporting indicated delays and technical issues.
This engagement occurred less than a month before the U.S. midterm elections, for which Blair and LaCivita are leading Trump's campaign efforts. Following reports of the consultancy work, Trump stated on social media that he would review the situation for any potential conflicts of interest and would terminate their roles if such conflicts were found.
"They most likely have numerous clients, but for that, you would have to ask them. They are allowed to do work for others, just like all consultants in Washington, D.C. I do not have any idea who else they work for but will, on reflection, ask them and, if there’s a conflict, I will terminate them, immediately!" Trump posted.
The revelation comes as Republicans are reportedly facing increasingly unfavorable odds in the midterm elections. One unnamed Republican operative expressed dismay, telling Politico, "We are out here fighting for our lives and these dudes are in some random a** country made up of too many consonants no one has ever heard of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars while telling all of us to chill out because they've got it."
Alex Pfeiffer, a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., stated that James and Chris participated in a team call on Saturday morning to discuss recent survey data. Blair, who previously served as the political director for Trump's 2024 campaign, left the White House earlier in the year to lead MAGA Inc., Trump's political operation. LaCivita is a senior advisor to MAGA Inc. and has been actively involved in Republican campaigns this cycle.
Milorad Dodik, a Bosnian Serb nationalist politician, reportedly thanked Putin and Trump following his party's election victory. Dodik met with Putin in Moscow on September 29, a week before the election, and subsequently referred to Republika Srpska as a strategic partner of Russia, proposing annual joint government sessions.
Prediction markets suggest Republicans have a low probability of retaining control of the House of Representatives and a diminished chance of holding onto the Senate. Data from Kalshi indicates a 10% chance for Republicans to maintain control of the House and a 36% chance for the Senate.
Caroline Wren, a lobbyist for the Republic of Srpska, who was present for the recent election, commented that the Trump administration had prioritized the protection and promotion of Christians globally, including in the Republic of Srpska, which she described as having a strong Christian faith and support for Trump, making it a target in the region by the UN and EU.