A Washington-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York (VBMY), has questioned the authenticity of the version of a letter purportedly sent by U.S. President Donald Trump to President Bola Tinubu, saying the manner in which it was released raises concerns. The Presidency has maintained that the correspondence is genuine.
A United States-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York (VBMY), has cast doubt on the authenticity of the version of a letter purportedly written by U.S. President Donald Trump to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, arguing that the format and method of its publication differ from standard White House correspondence.
The letter, released by the Presidency through a statement by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, praised Tinubu’s leadership in tackling terrorism and reaffirmed U.S. support for Nigeria’s security efforts.
Lobby Firm Raises Questions
In a statement posted on X, VBMY compared the Tinubu letter with what it described as an authentic letter sent by Trump to Argentine President Javier Milei.
According to the firm, the version released by the Nigerian Presidency differed significantly in presentation from typical presidential correspondence.
VBMY stressed that it was not alleging that Tinubu fabricated the letter, nor was it claiming that no diplomatic response had been sent. Instead, it argued that publishing only the text of the correspondence—rather than a scanned copy of the original document—had raised legitimate questions.
The firm stated that until the original letter is publicly released, Nigerians are entitled to seek clarification regarding its authenticity.
Presidency Stands by the Letter
The Presidency has maintained that the letter is genuine.
According to the statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Trump thanked Tinubu for his earlier correspondence and commended his administration’s efforts against terrorism, particularly attacks targeting Christian communities.
Trump was quoted as reaffirming the United States’ commitment to strengthening security cooperation with Nigeria under the U.S.–Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap.
Political Reactions Continue
The controversy has generated political reactions in Nigeria.
Former APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary Timi Frank separately argued that the correspondence should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Tinubu’s administration and challenged the Presidency to publish the original signed letter to dispel doubts.
The Presidency, however, has continued to present the letter as evidence of growing U.S.–Nigeria security cooperation under the current administration.
No Independent Verification of Authenticity Dispute
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no independent confirmation from the White House disputing the authenticity of the letter released by the Nigerian Presidency.
Similarly, there has been no official U.S. statement supporting the lobbying firm’s concerns.
The differing positions therefore remain part of an ongoing public and political debate.