Katie Wiles’ Controversial Visit to Republika Srpska

Katie Wiles, daughter of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, was seen at a shooting range holding a rifle with Željko Budimir, the interior minister of Republika Srpska. CBS News confirmed this on Thursday. Republika Srpska is a Serb-majority region in Bosnia and Herzegovina, known for its ties with Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Wiles visited in mid-August for her political lobbying firm, Continental Strategy, as part of business dealings, the company stated.

The photo surfaces amid ongoing scrutiny of relationships between figures in former President Donald Trump’s circle and the Bosnian Serb region, led by pro-Russia politician Milorad Dodik. Wiles traveled with a U.S. company conducting a feasibility study and has provided strategic communications support to this company for over two years. She has not discussed Srpska with U.S. officials, according to Continental Strategy.

This comes less than three weeks before the November 3 midterm elections. During this time, Trump reportedly considered replacing Susie Wiles as chief of staff but has denied these reports.

“Katie Wiles visited the country in mid-August for two days with a U.S.-based company who was invited to do a feasibility study in the region,” the Continental Strategy spokesperson told CBS News.

Photo Details

Katie Wiles posted the picture on her Instagram account in her stories. The screenshot shared by CBS News showed Wiles captioning it as “Mostly work + some serious fun!” alongside a tag for Republika Srpska. The tagged account includes numerous photos of women, offering little context.

In the image, Wiles stands with Budimir, a man who has met Putin and received a Russian state honor. Budimir has publicly supported Russia-Serbia ties. This photo went viral after conservative Albanian American activist Evi Kokalari shared it. She questioned the involvement of Susie Wiles in matters regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina, highlighting a potential conflict of interest regarding Katie Wiles’ activities.

Evi Kokalari’s social media post criticized, “@POTUS should not consult with @SusieWiles47 on matters concerning Bosnia due to her daughter’s lobbying activities with pro-Russian Dodik.”

Background on Katie Wiles

Katie Wiles is one of two daughters of Susie Wiles, with her sister, Caroline, also in the political arena. Before her role at Continental Strategy, she served as chief of communications for Jacksonville, Florida’s Mayor Lenny Curry. Continental Strategy, located in Washington, D.C., was involved in Trump’s 2024 campaign.

Attempts to access Katie Wiles’ biography on Continental Strategy’s website returned a “page not found” message, despite other staff bios being available. These developments have drawn attention to her role and connections in the political landscape.