Trump’s Congo Peace Claim: Fragile Truce, Not Real End to War

Washington Deal, Trump’s Boast

On 27 June 2025, the United States brokered a peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda in Washington, D.C. The accord promised much: the withdrawal of Rwandan forces, disarmament of militias, and an economic partnership tied to U.S. investment in Congo’s mineral wealth.

U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the deal as proof that he had “ended the war,” claiming he stopped “a vicious war” that had lasted 35 years and killed nine million people. He even described Congo as “the darkest, deepest part of Africa.”

Ground Reality: Violence Persists

On the ground in eastern Congo, the story is very different. Fighting between M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, and pro-government militias has continued, bringing new humanitarian disasters.

In July 2025, Human Rights Watch reported that M23 fighters massacred at least 140 civilians near Virunga National Park, most of them ethnic Hutu. Survivors described executions, bodies dumped in rivers, and children among the dead.

Amnesty International also documented abuses by both M23 and Congolese militias, including gang rapes and forced displacement. For many locals, the deal signed in Washington has not changed the daily reality of fear, killings, and displacement.

Frustration in Goma

In Goma, voices from civil society show disillusionment.

• Amani Safari, a student, said the deal carried “no binding sanctions” and seemed focused on U.S. mineral access rather than Congolese lives.