Dr. Karl Von Batten has been appointed as a commissioner on a White House presidential panel by US President Donald Trump.
Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. announced the appointment in a post on X.
According to the X post: “Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. is proud to announce that President Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) has appointed our Managing Partner, Dr. Karl Von Batten, to serve the United States of America as a Commissioner on a @WhiteHouse presidential commission.
“Dr. Von Batten is deeply grateful to President Trump (The Chief) for this appointment and for the confidence placed in him.
“This presidential appointment represents a tremendous honor and reflects Dr. Von Batten’s longstanding commitment to public service, leadership, and our nation.
“Dr. Von Batten looks forward to answering the call to serve our President and country.
“We congratulate Dr. Von Batten on this distinguished honor and wish him every success in this important public service role.”
In March 2026, Batten’s Washington-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., secured a contract with Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate.
The one-year retainer is worth $1.2 million.
Backstory…
Karl Von Batten became a prominent figure in Nigeria’s political discourse in 2026 after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar hired his Washington-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C.
Documents filed with the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) show that Atiku signed a 12-month agreement with the firm in March 2026, reportedly worth $1.2 million.
The engagement aimed to strengthen Atiku’s reputation among US policymakers, promote his political vision and counter narratives linked to the Nigerian government.
However, Von Batten has also become involved in the controversy surrounding US records concerning President Bola Tinubu’s alleged past investigation. His firm has been publicly pushing for scrutiny and release of records connected to the decades-old US investigation.
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