For such an obscure spot on the globe, little Republika Srpska has managed to enlist a host of people with close ties to the upper reaches of the Trump administration in the past few months. When the pro-Russian government of the Balkan territory wanted help this summer on an energy project, it turned to a Washington lobbying firm with ties to President Trump, according to four people familiar with the events who requested anonymity to discuss a proposed business deal. That firm, Continental Strategy, was ready to assist.
Continental counts among its partners several former Trump campaign and administration officials as well as Katie Wiles, the daughter of Mr. Wiles was accompanying a Texas energy entrepreneur to Srpska to explore a partnership with the government to build a gas pipeline, according to two people briefed on the trip. The entrepreneur himself has Trump ties.
One of his companies has received investments from Mr. Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and help from the Trump administration. Separate from the pipeline, at least six current and former Trump political operatives traveled to Srpska this month to assist the government around its elections.
Among them were Alex Garcia, a partner at Continental who served on Mr. Trump’s 2024 campaign and recommended James Blair and Chris LaCivita — two of Mr. Trump’s top political advisers — to the government of Srpska, and Andrew H.
Smith, a Trump lawyer who worked with the pair on election-related matters. LaCivita, who also traveled to Srpska for the elections there this month, appeared to anger Mr. LaCivita had been paid to provide advice to Srpska’s government.
The pair are leading the Trump political operation’s big-money advertising campaign to try to stave off a Democratic landslide in the midterms. Their trip abroad at the height of the campaign became a flashpoint for Republicans fearful of losing control of Congress, a development that would further weaken Mr. Trump and raise the possibility that Democrats could again impeach him.
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