Karl Von Batten's lobbying firm deletes post regarding Trump appointment

The US-based lobbying firm Von Batten-Montague-York, L. C. has deleted a social media post claiming that President Donald Trump appointed its managing partner, Karl Von Batten, to a White House presidential commission. The original post, which was removed from the firm’s verified X account, did not specify the nature of the commission or the responsibilities involved.

Investigations revealed that the appointment is actually to the Commission on Presidential Scholars, an unpaid body administered by the United States Department of Education. This commission is responsible for selecting high school students for national recognition and holds no authority regarding American foreign policy, national security, or diplomatic relations with Nigeria.

The controversy gained significant attention in Nigeria because Von Batten’s firm is currently under a $1.2 million agreement to represent Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice-President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, to manage his reputation in the United States.