US lawmakers ask Trump: Did America help tilt Bosnia’s election in a pro-Russia direction?

“Members of Congress and the public are owed clarity about what the Administration’s role was, and whether the United States — even indirectly — helped to tilt another country’s election in a pro-Russia direction,” the letter states.

Sharing the letter on X, Titus wrote: “.@POTUS must explain why two of his advisors traveled to Republika Srpska to advise its government on voting issues ahead of its October 4 elections. Why did the winner thank him and Putin? And doesn’t his Chief of Staff’s daughter lobby for Srpska?”

Advice on voting machines

Citing The New York Times, the lawmakers say Trump advisers James Blair and Chris LaCivita received hundreds of thousands of dollars for their services in Republika Srpska through a Washington-based law firm retained by the entity’s government.

The letter says the authorities sought advice on new voting machines, described as similar to those Trump and his allies falsely blamed for his 2020 presidential election defeat.

It also notes that Milorad Dodik, leader of Republika Srpska’s ruling SNSD party, thanked both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin after claiming an election victory.

“It is notable that this particular trip occurred in the middle of an election in a foreign country and Mr. Blair and Mr. LaCivita were specifically asked to assist with electoral issues,” the authors write.

Lobbying ties and White House access

Citing Justice Department filings, the letter says Republika Srpska’s government has paid more than $4 million since the beginning of 2025 to lobbyists and political operatives connected to Trump and his allies.

he authors describe the lifting of sanctions against Dodik, his family and aides late last year as a major victory for that lobbying campaign.

They also question a September White House meeting between Bosnian Presidency member Zeljka Cvijanovic and Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Citing media reports, they say lobbyist Alex Garcia arranged the meeting and that Wiles’s daughter works for the same firm representing Republika Srpska.

Five sets of questions

The lawmakers ask whether Blair, LaCivita or the retained law firm informed, consulted or sought guidance from the White House, State Department or US Embassy in Sarajevo before travelling.

They seek details of the Cvijanovic meeting, including whether Wiles’s daughter helped facilitate it, and ask whether administration officials discussed Dodik’s political plans or the voting process with Republika Srpska authorities.

Finally, they question whether paid election consulting by advisers close to Trump is consistent with US support for the Dayton Peace Accords, which ended Bosnia’s 1992–1995 war. They also ask whether Trump repudiates Dodik’s statements crediting him for his party’s electoral victory.