DRC cancels $5M PR contract, choosing instead direct engagement with Trump team

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has decided to terminate its six-month $5 million lobbying contract with the U.S. public relations firm Earhart Turner, instead preferring to pursue direct negotiations with the Trump administration.
The lobbying contract, signed in March 2025, aimed to enhance Congo’s image in Washington, particularly in the context of a mineral deal and security concerns involving Rwanda-backed rebels. The firm’s responsibilities included lobbying Congress, the executive branch, and providing strategic communications and policy analysis. However, the DRC has now suspended all lobbying efforts to prioritize official, direct dialogue with the U.S. government, signaling a shift in its diplomatic approach. Tina Salama, spokeswoman for president Félix Tshisekedi, emphasized that the move aligns with the country’s desire to strengthen strategic partnerships with the U.S. whereby it was “favoring direct exchanges with the new American administration, through official and authorized channels.”
This shift follows a visit by Trump’s special envoy, Massad Boulos, who discussed potential mineral deals and regional security concerns during his visit to the DRC. The change in strategy highlights Congo’s aim to engage the U.S. on its own terms, fostering direct relations in areas such as security and economic cooperation, particularly in the lucrative mining sector. Boulos’ trip, which also included Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya, countries involved in one way or another in the conflict in eastern DRC and peace efforts around it, is widely seen as setting the stage for a mineral deal between DRC and the U.S. “Of course, we need as conducive an environment for business as possible to achieve that goal,” Boulos noted. The implications of the latest decision by Tshisekedi’s government are significant, as it marks a new chapter in Congo’s foreign policy, potentially leading to closer ties with Washington.