President Trump distanced himself Wednesday from top political adviser James Blair following reports that Blair and colleague Chris LaCivita provided paid election consulting to the pro-Russian government of Republika Srpska just weeks before the U.S. midterms.

Blair, who served as deputy White House chief of staff, departed for a temporary leave of absence in April to lead the president's midterm political operation through the MAGA Inc. super PAC. He characterized the move as temporary at the time. New details about his overseas work have raised questions about whether he will return to the White House.

The New York Times reported that Blair and LaCivita traveled to Republika Srpska, a self-governing territory in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ahead of elections held there on Sunday. Each received hundreds of thousands of dollars through a Washington law firm retained by the territory's government to advise on voting issues. Republika Srpska maintains close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and is led by nationalist Milorad Dodik.

Trump responded on Truth Social by emphasizing that the pair serve as outside consultants. He stated he would ask them about their other clients and terminate them immediately if a conflict exists. The president noted they are allowed to work for others, like many Washington consultants.

The timing of the foreign engagement has drawn internal Republican criticism amid a tight midterm campaign where Trump has been actively rallying support across the country. Critics within MAGA and GOP operatives questioned why senior operatives focused on a small Balkan entity rather than domestic races just weeks out from the November elections.

"Newsom just said 'the Democrats need to focus on ending Trump's presidency in 28 days' while these two grifters are out of the country - and we wonder why the MAGA base may have an enthusiasm gap. We need a forensic audit of where the money went so the president has the information to hold people accountable," said former Trump official Steve Bannon.

Blair's work came through an intermediary firm. He has maintained the work was for the government rather than the ruling political party. The episode highlights ongoing scrutiny of Trump advisers' foreign consulting arrangements, including millions paid by Republika Srpska to Trump-linked lobbyists since last year.

Blair had served as political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign and later joined the White House in a senior legislative and political role before stepping away for the midterm effort. It remains unclear if Blair will face formal consequences or return to his White House role after the midterms. President Trump has not currently confirmed whether Blair will be reprising his role in the administration after November. Sources familiar with the White House’s political strategy told Real Truth Media that Trump has confronted Blair over his conflicts of interest in the past.

The timing of the foreign engagement has drawn sharp criticism, and with Trump distancing himself while Republican voices demand accountability, Blair's prospects for returning to the White House are in serious jeopardy.