President Donald Trump has appointed Karl-Marx Edward Ikemefuna William George Okeke-Von Batten, widely known as Karl Von Batten, to serve as a Commissioner on a White House presidential commission. The appointment was made on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, and announced by Von Batten's firm the following morning.
Announcement of the Appointment
Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., the US-based policy advisory and advocacy firm where Von Batten serves as managing partner, broke the news on its verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, September 3. The firm described the appointment as a significant milestone for both the firm and Von Batten personally.
In its announcement, the firm wrote: "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."
The statement continued: "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."
Background of Karl Von Batten
Von Batten, who was born in Nigeria, is known for his ties to former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar, having previously worked as a lobbyist on his behalf in the United States. He has attracted attention in Nigerian political circles due to his lobbying activities connected to Atiku, a long-standing figure in Nigerian presidential politics.
Von Batten is the managing partner of Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., a firm that describes itself as a policy advisory and advocacy group operating in the United States. The specific White House presidential commission to which Von Batten has been appointed was not named in the firm's announcement.
Reactions and Next Steps
The firm added: "We congratulate Dr. Von Batten on this distinguished honor and wish him every success in this important public service role." The announcement was shared via the firm's verified X page, and the post is available for public viewing.
The appointment marks a notable development in US-Nigeria political ties, given Von Batten's previous lobbying work for Atiku, who has run for Nigerian president multiple times. Further details about the commission's mandate and Von Batten's specific duties are expected to emerge in due course.
