Trump appoints Atiku ally Von Batten to White House commission

President Donald Trump has appointed Nigerian-born lobbyist Karl Von Batten to a White House presidential commission, according to a France 24 report citing AFP. The move, confirmed by his firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, could complicate US-Nigeria relations, as the firm is actively lobbying against President Bola Tinubu ahead of January’s re-election bid. The firm said Von Batten was “deeply grateful” for the appointment, though it did not name the specific commission, according to a YEN.com.gh report.

Earlier this year, Von Batten’s firm signed a $1.2 million, 12-month agreement with Atiku Abubakar, aimed at advancing understanding of his “leadership posture and policy vision” among US policymakers. The firm has also pursued Freedom of Information Act requests and lawsuits seeking Tinubu’s US records, referencing a 1993 Chicago court filing that suggested nearly $2 million from a heroin-trafficking network transited through his accounts. Tinubu, never convicted, denied wrongdoing and reached a settlement in which $460,000 was seized from his account.

The appointment comes amid strained US-Nigeria ties. In 2025, Washington accused Abuja of failing to protect Christians, a claim disputed by independent analysts, and later struck alleged Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria. Nigeria responded with its own lobbying campaign, though both countries have deepened military cooperation, including a joint anti-terrorism operation in May.