On Wednesday, October 7, Donald Trump threatened to fire two of his White House advisors after The New York Times revealed they were advising a pro-Russia political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina in an upcoming election.
The report claimed that James Blair and Chris LaCivita, key members of Donald Trump's campaign team since 2020, had travelled to Republika Srpska: a pro-Russia self-governing territory in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Blair also served as Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff till April 2026 before the midterms.
The report cited four sources from Republika Srpska who confirmed Blair and LaCivita were in the region earlier this week to advise the pro-Russian government of Republika Srpska ahead of an upcoming election there on Sunday. The report said James Blair and Chris LaCivita were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to advise the Republika Srpska government.
Deep Dive
What actions did Trump threaten against advisors James Blair and Chris LaCivita?
Why is there concern over James Blair and Chris LaCivita's association with Republika Srpska?
How has Trump's administration responded to international election observers prior to the midterms?
The NYT report sparked concerns of a conflict of interest, as the US has been in conflict with Russia since February 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The talk around it prompted Donald Trump to respond.
Trump Threatens To Fire James Blair and Chris LaCivita
{{/usCountry}}The NYT report sparked concerns of a conflict of interest, as the US has been in conflict with Russia since February 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The talk around it prompted Donald Trump to respond.
Trump Threatens To Fire James Blair and Chris LaCivita
{{/usCountry}}Trump on Wednesday afternoon posted on Truth Social that James Blair and Chris LaCivita "do not work" for him, "except as outside consultants." He said that they have "numerous" other clients and that they themselves must answer about it.
However, the 80-year-old said that he was not aware of their association with Republika Srpska, adding that he will ask and will fire them "if there is a conflict."
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“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 wrote in the Truth Social post.
Who Are James Blair and Chris LaCivita?
According to the American Presidency Project, James Blair is a Republican from Florida. He founded the consulting firm Rapid Loop Consulting in 2013 and worked for several years in Florida state politics. He was associated with former Florida House Speaker, Richard Corcoran and attracted the attention of Ron DeSantis. He served as the Chief of Staff for Ron DeSantis before joining Trump's 2020 campaign.
He has since been associated with the Trump campaign, serving as its director. After Trump took office, he briefly became the White House Deputy Chief of Staff but resigned in April 2026 to take over Trump's midterm campaign. According to ProPublica, he sold Rapid Loop Consulting after joining Trump's White House team.
Chris LaCivita, meanwhile, is a US Marine veteran who was wounded during the Gulf War. He started as a Republican strategist in Virginia with former US Senator George Allen. Subsequently, he joined the Republican Senatorial Committee and served there for several years.
He was the co-manager of Trump's 2024 election campaign along with Susie Willis, who later became Trump's White House Chief of Staff.