Trump Advisers’ Paid Work for Republika Srpska Ties U.S. Political Operatives to Balkans Power Struggle
Two senior Donald Trump advisers, James Blair and Chris LaCivita, were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to advise the government of Bosnia’s Republika Srpska on elections, part of more than $4 million in payments from the entity’s government to Trump‑linked lobbyists and operatives since early 2025.
Two of Donald Trump’s top political strategists have taken their skills to one of Europe’s most fragile regions, working for a government whose moves are closely watched in Western capitals.
James Blair and Chris LaCivita traveled to Republika Srpska, the Serb entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina, to advise its government on election issues, the New York Times reports. Both men were reportedly paid hundreds of thousands of dollars through a Washington law firm.
Their work isn’t an isolated contract. According to the Times, Trump‑linked lobbyists and operatives have received more than $4 million from the Republika Srpska government since early 2025. Those payments give a secession‑minded leadership in the Balkans access to seasoned American campaign and messaging expertise, and potential reach into U.S. political networks.
At the ballot box, the ruling Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) of Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik held on to its majority in recent elections. Savo Minic is set to become the new president of the Serb entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
For Bosnia’s complex political system, the presence of prominent U.S. consultants on one side of its internal contest matters. Republika Srpska’s leadership has repeatedly clashed with state‑level institutions and faces criticism in the region and beyond. Strategic advice from figures close to a former U.S. president can help it craft messages, shape campaigns and reinforce its position at home.
The financial arrangements also have a Washington dimension. Paying Blair and LaCivita through a law firm gives Republika Srpska’s government a partner that understands U.S. lobbying and legal disclosure rules. That can open doors in the American capital at a time when the entity is under scrutiny from U.S. and European officials.
For U.S. politics, the contracts highlight how domestic campaign veterans can become players in contested foreign arenas. American law allows such work if properly registered, but questions arise when clients are authorities whose goals may clash with long‑standing U.S. and European efforts to stabilize Bosnia and reinforce central institutions.
In the Balkans, imported political expertise can sharpen already hard lines. Sophisticated advising on turnout, messaging and voter targeting tends to benefit incumbents who hire it. In this case, it strengthens a leadership whose choices are closely linked to the trajectory of a fragile post‑war settlement.
Signals to watch now include any new disclosures about the scope and terms of contracts between Republika Srpska and U.S. firms, possible reactions from U.S. or EU authorities in the form of sanctions or tighter restrictions, and how the newly elected leadership in Banja Luka uses its reinforced political position in decisions that affect Bosnia’s shared institutions.
Sources
- OSINT