Photo shows top Trump aide’s daughter with pro-Russia politician in Bosnia

Updated on: October 8, 2026 / 11:46 AM EDT / CBS News

An image circulated on social media and verified by CBS News shows Katie Wiles, the daughter of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, recently traveled to Republika Srpska, the Bosnian-controlled territory led by pro-Russian Serb strongman Milorad Dodik.

The photo raises further questions about possible White House links to the pro-Russian politician. President Trump on Wednesday distanced himself from two top political advisers after the New York Times reported they had traveled to Republika Srpska last week to assist Dodik's pro-Russia party in Bosnian elections.

The image, shared online by conservative Albanian American activist Evi Kokalari, shows Wiles holding a rifle and standing next to a man CBS News has identified as Željko Budimir, the interior minister of the semi-autonomous Republika Srpska administration. In a post on X, Kokalari claimed the image was taken in August. CBS News Confirmed has verified the image is of Wiles and that it was taken in Republika Srpska. The image appears to be a screenshot of a story from Wiles' personal Instagram account, with a caption "mostly work + some serious fun!"

CBS News confirmed the veracity of the images through…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/