Trump campaign veterans advise pro-Russian Bosnian Serb government ahead of elections

James Blair and Chris LaCivita, prominent figures in Donald Trump’s political operation and architects of past Republican campaigns, flew to the Republic of Srpska to advise the governing party of Milorad Dodik on election strategy. The trip occurred a few days before the October 4 general election in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where Dodik’s nationalist party secured a clear win. Both consultants received payments amounting to several hundred thousand dollars each, routed through a Washington law firm contracted by the Republic of Srpska.

They described their role as government consulting, though the distinction between the government and Dodik’s party is minimal. Following the election, Dodik publicly thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin and lauded the Trump administration. Meanwhile, Dodik’s close ally Željka Cvijanović met with former White House chief of staff Susie Wiles at the White House and also won a seat in the country’s rotating presidency.