Trump threatens to fire midterm strategists over Russia work — SkimNews
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- President Trump threatened Wednesday to fire two of his top political consultants — Chris LaCivita and James Blair — if he finds a conflict of interest.
- LaCivita and Blair are reported to have advised a Russia-aligned government ahead of local elections there, per the reports Trump cited.
- Both consultants lead Republicans' midterm election strategy, the exact role that makes the alleged foreign advisory work a potential conflict.
- Trump's threat was conditional, framed as a response he would take only if the reported advisory work is confirmed.
- The episode puts a spotlight on the foreign client work of senior GOP campaign operatives ahead of the midterms.
Why it matters: The two strategists Trump threatened to fire are the same ones running Republican midterm campaign operations, so any confirmed conflict directly threatens GOP field operations. Conditioning the firings on verification gives Trump a political off-ramp but gives opponents ready ammunition: that the GOP's own midterm architects were on a foreign government's payroll.
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