Trump aides Bosnia work has raised questions after James Blair and Chris LaCivita advised Republika Srpska while helping Republican midterm strategy. Trump initially threatened action over any conflict, but later said he did not believe one existed.

Trump advisers face scrutiny over Bosnia consulting work

President Donald Trump has distanced himself from two senior political advisers after reports revealed that they carried out paid consulting work for the government of Republika Srpska, the Serb-majority entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Chris LaCivita and James Blair travelled to Republika Srpska ahead of elections held there on Sunday. They were reportedly retained and paid to advise the territorial government on voting-related issues while also remaining closely involved in Trump-aligned political efforts ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections. Trump described both men as outside consultants and said he had not known about all of their other clients.

Foreign work

The two Republican strategists reportedly worked through a Washington-based law firm hired by the Republika Srpska government. Reports said each received hundreds of thousands of dollars for the assignment.

Their involvement has attracted attention because both remain influential in Trump’s political network. LaCivita helped manage Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, while Blair served as political director before joining the White House and later stepping away to help oversee Republican midterm efforts.

The controversy is less about whether political consultants can legally work for foreign clients and more about whether those relationships create conflicting political or foreign-policy interests.

Conflict

Trump initially said he would ask about their outside clients and terminate their relationship with his political operation if a conflict existed. Later on Wednesday, however, he told reporters in the Oval Office that he did not believe the two advisers had a conflict. 

That shift is important. It means the immediate threat to remove Blair or LaCivita appears to have eased, even though questions remain over how much Trump knew about the Republika Srpska work before reports became public.

MAGA Inc

Blair and LaCivita are closely connected to MAGA Inc., the Trump-backed super PAC working to help Republicans retain control of Congress. Blair has been overseeing the outside political operation, while LaCivita continues to play a senior strategic role.

Their foreign consulting work came at a sensitive moment. Competitive Senate and House races have expanded across the country, increasing pressure on Republicans to focus resources and senior campaign staff on the midterms. Reuters reported that Trump was caught off guard by the Bosnia trip and was angered by its timing.

Srpska

Republika Srpska is one of the two main political entities created within Bosnia and Herzegovina under the 1995 Dayton peace agreement. Its nationalist leadership has maintained close relations with Russia and has repeatedly clashed with Western officials over Bosnia’s political structure.

The United States, European Union and Russia have long competed for political influence in Bosnia, making outside American political involvement particularly sensitive. The latest elections strengthened nationalist forces in Republika Srpska and again highlighted the region’s fragile political balance. 

Dodik

Milorad Dodik, the dominant nationalist figure in Republika Srpska politics, has cultivated relationships with both Moscow and figures close to Trump. US sanctions against Dodik and several Republika Srpska officials were lifted in October 2025.

The controversy therefore extends beyond two consultants taking on another client. It raises wider questions about foreign influence, political consulting and whether advisers directing major US election operations should simultaneously work for governments whose interests intersect with US foreign policy.

For Trump, the episode may now be considered resolved internally, but the political scrutiny is unlikely to disappear as Republicans enter the final weeks of a closely contested midterm campaign.