African Hub, an X content creator with over 800K followers, misquoted Tshisekedi, claiming he requested the U.S. military intervention in exchange for control over his nation's vast resources.

This is misleading.

African Hub's post went viral. It seems to have originated from Tshisekedi's Feb. 20 interview with The New York Times.

However, in that interview, Tshisekedi did not offer the U.S. control over DRC's mineral resources, nor did it suggest any military intervention.

The DRC leader told the newspaper that he hoped international pressure against Rwanda, coupled with investments from Western countries, would bring stability to his war-ridden nation.

Tina Salama, the DRC presidential spokesperson, clarified the issue on X in a Feb. 23 post.

"Setting the record straight: President Tshisekedi invites the USA, whose companies source strategic raw materials from Rwanda — materials looted from the DRC and smuggled through Rwanda while our populations are massacred — to purchase them directly from us, the rightful owners," Salama wrote.

Salama's statement directly contradicts the claim made by African Hub.

Eastern DRC is facing a violent armed conflict with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, who occupy significant parts of the country.

DRC is rich in vital minerals, including coltan and cobalt, which are crucial for high-tech industries such as electronics and electric vehicles.

In her X post, Salama further emphasized that Tshisekedi's offer was not exclusive to the U.S. but was extended to European countries as well:

"And it's not just the Americans, it's also offered to Europeans and all the receivers of our resources who get their supplies from Rwanda."

In February 2024, the European Union negotiated a $935 million deal with Rwanda for access to minerals such as tin, tungsten and gold.

Tshisekedi has accused Rwanda of plundering DRC's resources using the M23 rebels. European involvement is facilitating this illegal trade, Tshisekedi said.

In response, the EU has halted its deal with Rwanda and instead is considering sanctioning Kigali for its role in the DRC war.

On Feb. 25, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Rwanda and paused bilateral financial aid, signaling increased international pressure. As part of the sanctions, the U.K. said it would suspend defense training assistance to Rwanda and review export licenses for the Rwandan Defense Force.

Additionally, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on James Kabarebe, a Rwandan official accused of facilitating support for M23 rebels.

Conclusion: Tshisekedi invited international companies to buy minerals directly from the DRC. He did not request military intervention or promise control over DRC natural resources. His spokesperson clarified that the mineral deal was open to multiple international players and was aimed at combating Rwanda's illegal resource trade through M23 rebels.