Retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) on Wednesday sharply criticized a report that two consultants to President Trump earned a substantial fee for advising a pro-Russian government in the Balkans during the U.S. midterm election cycle. The senator, who co-chairs the Senate NATO Observer Group, described Republika Srpska as a “destabilizing force” in an interview with CNN’s Kasie Hunt.
“These guys are not hurting for money. They don’t need to be doing that,” Tillis said. “They shouldn’t be doing it, and if the reports are true, they should get out of that relationship very, very quickly.”
The New York Times reported Tuesday that Chris LaCivita and James Blair traveled to Republika Srpska, a small self-governing territory in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ahead of the country’s elections on Sunday. The pair, who are leading Trump’s midterm advertising campaign, were reportedly paid hundreds of dollars each through a Washington-based firm that the government hired to advise on voting issues.
Two sources told the Times that the work was for the government, not the nationalist party that controls it, but the two are heavily intertwined. Republika Srpska’s dominant party has aligned the country with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Blair previously served as White House deputy chief of staff before leaving in April to run MAGA Inc., the president’s super PAC. LaCivita served as co-manager on Trump’s 2024 campaign and is now a senior adviser to MAGA Inc.
The president appeared to distance himself from the pair on Wednesday, calling them “outside consultants” and saying he would terminate them if their work conflicted with the White House. Tillis said he would “leave” the decision on whether to fire them, but urged the advisers to cut ties with the Balkan government.
“This is about knowing your customer, and this customer is bad news for that region and certainly for our partners in the region,” Tillis said, adding, “It’s a horrible look.”
The controversy comes as Trump intensifies his midterm push, with upcoming rallies in Tennessee and other red states. The episode also highlights the ongoing scrutiny of foreign entanglements by Trump’s inner circle, a theme that has resonated with voters. For more on the political climate, see Democratic expectations for a midterm sweep.
Meanwhile, Tillis has previously defended Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s mental acuity, as reported in Tillis’s defense of McConnell. The senator’s latest remarks underscore his willingness to break with the president on matters of national security and ethics.
As the midterms approach, the question of foreign influence in U.S. politics remains a flashpoint. The president’s own comments about not punishing political rivals, as noted in Trump’s claims of restraint, add another layer to the debate. Whether LaCivita and Blair will face consequences remains to be seen, but Tillis’s call for them to sever ties is clear.
