The daughter of Susie Wiles, chief of staff to former US President Donald Trump, is associated with a lobbying firm contracted to represent Republika Srpska, the predominantly Serb entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina. This development adds to ongoing scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest involving Trump’s close advisers.

Federal filings show that Katie Wiles, a partner at Continental Strategy, has been linked to the firm’s $35,000-per-month lobbying contract with Republika Srpska, signed in February. Continental Strategy stated that Katie Wiles had visited Republika Srpska in August to provide communications assistance for a separate US company conducting a feasibility study in the region. However, the firm stressed that she had not engaged in lobbying US government officials on behalf of the entity.

In September, Susie Wiles held a meeting at the White House with Željka Cvijanović, the Serb member of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s tripartite presidency. According to a post on Cvijanović’s social media, the discussion focused on the situation in Bosnia and the broader region and took place weeks before the country’s elections on October 4. A White House official said the request for the meeting originated from Alex Garcia, a partner at Continental Strategy and deputy political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign. The official also noted that Susie Wiles did not discuss professional matters involving her daughters during the meeting.

Continental Strategy confirmed that Alex Garcia was the only individual within the firm to have actively lobbied US government officials on behalf of Republika Srpska and was present in the region during the recent elections. Garcia is registered as a lobbyist for the entity.

The presence of Trump associates in Republika Srpska’s political affairs has prompted further examination. Earlier reports revealed that Chris LaCivita and James Blair, both seasoned Trump aides, received significant payments for advising Republika Srpska on election strategy ahead of October’s vote. LaCivita is a former Trump campaign manager, while Blair recently served as deputy White House chief of staff. Trump has since distanced himself from both individuals.

These associations underline growing concerns about lobbyist influence and connections between former White House officials and the Republika Srpska leadership during a period marked by heightened political sensitivity in Bosnia and Herzegovina.