Trump floats firing top political advisers ahead of midterms
President Donald Trump has threatened to fire his top political advisers, James Blair and Chris LaCivita, following reports that they performed paid work for a pro-Russian government while managing his campaign. Trump expressed frustration over the timing and nature of their outside consulting activities.
Why it matters
The potential firing of key campaign staff shortly before midterm elections underscores the volatility of political operations and the risks of conflicts of interest.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday distanced himself from two of his top political advisers — less than 30 days before the midterm elections — writing that if their outside work presents a conflict, “I will terminate them, immediately!” Trump’s warning came after The New York Times published a report detailing how James Blair, one of the president’s former deputy chiefs of staff who now leads his outside political operation, and Chris LaCivita, Trump’s 2024 co-campaign manager, traveled to the Balkans last week for paid work on behalf of a pro-Russian government. Trump was unaware that the two men had traveled to the Balkans – or that the pro-Russian government was among their clientele – until he was briefed on the impending New York Times piece, sources familiar with the situation told CNN.
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