President Donald Trump distanced himself from two top advisers on Wednesday, claiming he did not have "any idea who else they work for" after reports surfaced that they assisted a pro-Russia government in the Balkans over the weekend.
Background
On Truth Social, Trump stated that Chris LaCivita, the co-manager of his 2024 presidential campaign, and James Blair, a campaign adviser and White House deputy chief of staff on leave, are merely "outside consultants" and do not work for him directly. He emphasized, "They are allowed to do work for others, just like all consultants in Washington, D.C." Trump added, "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!"
Recent Developments
These comments followed a report by the New York Times indicating that LaCivita and Blair traveled to Republika Srpska, an autonomous entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to assist the government ahead of elections. Sources revealed that each adviser was compensated hundreds of thousands of dollars for their work.
