The Democratic Minority of the Subcommittee on Europe of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the US House of Representatives published a comprehensive report containing harsh accusations against President Donald Trump’s administration, claiming that the US policy towards Bosnia and Herzegovina is subordinated to the political and financial interests of the people close to the president, with serious consequences for the Dayton Peace Agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European path, and the country’s stability.
The article titled “Pay to Play” in the Balkans: How the Trump Administration’s Policy towards Bosnia and Herzegovina Enriches the President’s Close Allies at the Expense of the American People,” was published today, led by Bill Keating, the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on Europe.
The heart of the document contains two decisions of Trump’s administration: lifting of sanctions against Milorad Dodik, his family, and related persons, and support for the AAFS Infrastructure & Energy Company in the Southern Interconnection project.
The authors of the report believe that those decisions are not isolated moves, but part of a broader US policy pattern in Bosnia and Herzegovina which, according to their assessment, benefits the authorities of Republika Srpska and people related to Trump, and, at the same time, weakens Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions and long-term US interests.
Dodik, Lobbyists, and Lifting of Sanctions
A particularly critical section of the report addresses the decision of the Trump’s administration to lift sanctions against Milorad Dodik and his co-workers.
Keating concluded that the decision was “wrong, corrupt,” and made with the aim to benefit the lobbyists related to Trump, including former Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
The report stated that Milorad Dodik’s behaviour following the lifting of sanctions showed there hadn’t been a core change in the policy he was previously sanctioned for.
Authors also remind readers that in March, 2025, the US State Secretary Marco Rubin described Dodik’s behaviour as “dangerous and destabilizing.” But regardless, the sanctions were later lifted.
“Lifting all sanctions against Dodik and his associates eliminated the overall leverage the Trump administration held over him, while at the same time rewarding the President’s friends,” the document concluded.
Southern Interconnection and Company without Experience
A second key part of the report addresses the project of the Southern Gas Interconnection and the AAFS company, backed by Joseph Flynn, Michael Flynn’s brother, and attorney Jesse Binnall.
As the document stated, AAFS was founded only four days after US and Bosnian officials discussed the possibility of an American company joining the project.
The Democrats find it especially problematic that Flynn and Binnall, as they stated, had no previous experience in the energy sector or in the region, while the project is worth about 1.16 billion dollars.
“I am concerned that potentially awarding this contract to an inexperienced company reduces the likelihood that the pipeline will become operational,” wrote Keating to State Secretary Marc Ruby in April.
He added that “personal and political bonds between AAFS and the Trump’s administration represent an unjust conflict of interests.
The State Department responded to Keating, stating that the decisions to offer the concession for the Southern Interconnection and to have an American Company as the lead investor were “sovereign choices of the officials of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
The authors of the report challenge such an explanation. They claim that it does not align with the actions of the Trump administration, which, according to them, advocated for AAFS to be the sole concessionaire of the project.
Binnall, on the other hand, rejected such an interpretation for Semafor. He said that his company’s involvement began when Bosnian officials contacted AAFS directly.
“We then engaged with professional staff at the US Embassy, which is standard and expected practice for any American Company working abroad on a project of this scale,” Binnall said.
Warning: Because of the EU and State Property
The report raises the question of the possible consequences that the method of awarding the project could have on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European path.
Authors warned that granting the concession to a predetermined company could be opposed to the European principles of open and transparent public procurement procedures. As a candidate country, Bosnia and Herzegovina is expected to align its regulations and standards with European Union rules.
An even more serious warning relates to state property, considering that the pipeline construction also depends on resolving the ownership issues over the land through which it would pass.
Keating believes the Trump Administration could use the Southern Interconnection, politically empowered Dodik, a weakened OHR, and ties to the Flynn brothers to pressure Bosnian state officials to resolve the state property issue in a way that favors entity ownership.
The report even states the possibility of pressuring the Bosnian member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina to accept the solution which, according to Keating’s assessment, would suit the long-standing constitutional position of the Republika Srpska authorities, weaken the central institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and ease the realization of the Southern Interconnection.
They Call for Sanctions to Be Reimposed on Dodik
Finally, the Democrats present a series of recommendations. They ask President Trump to reimpose sanctions on Milorad Dodik, his family, and related persons, while calling on the State Department to consider halting diplomatic advocacy for AAFS and to work with the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to find an American company capable of building, operating, and maintaining the Southern Interconnection.
They seek from the Republicans, who have the majority and authority to issue subpoenas, to launch an investigation into AAFS, its ties to the Trump administration, and the project’s funding sources.
They also seek to obtain communications from US officials related to lifting sanctions on Dodik and the Southern Interconnection, including hearings with Michael Flynn, Rod Blagojevich, and other lobbyists about their contacts with the administration.
In the end, Keating delivers one of the harshest assessments of the entire document, claiming the policy, which is led by Washington, could be beneficial to Dodik, Michael and Joseph Flynn, Blagojevich, Binnall and AAFS, while the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina would bear the consequences.
“The Trump administration chose to surrender to separatists in Bosnia and Herzegovina who reject the Dayton Peace Agreement, while enriching its friends in the process,” the report concludes, N1 writes.
