Three American citizens imprisoned in the Democratic Republic of Congo following a failed coup attempt have been handed over to the United States, according to Congolese officials. The high-profile transfer took place as the US and Congo continue to advance sensitive negotiations over security cooperation and access to Congo’s vast reserves of critical minerals, including cobalt and coltan.
The trio of Americans were among 37 people sentenced to death by a Congolese military court in September 2023, following a chaotic May coup attempt allegedly led by Christian Malanga, a US-based Congolese opposition figure. Among those arrested was Malanga’s 22-year-old son, Marcel Malanga, who told the court he had been coerced by his father during the plot. Marcel was traveling with a high school friend at the time of the incident. Their release has now become a major diplomatic development in the tense but evolving relationship between Kinshasa and Washington.
The Trump administration dispatched senior Africa adviser Massad Boulos to Kinshasa last week, where he held strategic discussions with President Félix Tshisekedi. Their meetings finalized the deal to repatriate the Americans, whose death sentences had been commuted last week to allow for incarceration in the United States.
Tina Salama, spokesperson for President Tshisekedi, said the move was evidence of strengthening bilateral ties. The White House did not immediately comment, but the US State Department said the safe return of detained Americans remains a top priority under the Trump administration.
The transfer comes as the Democratic Republic of Congo seeks greater US involvement in its internal security, especially in the war-torn eastern provinces. Armed conflict has surged in the region since January, following renewed offensives by the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group, which has seized several key cities. The instability has raised fears of a broader regional war, prompting Congo to request increased US military support.
At the same time, the US is pursuing access to Congo’s high-value mineral reserves, which are essential for powering electric vehicles, mobile devices, and advanced battery systems. China currently dominates Congo’s mining sector, but Washington is aiming to shift that balance through strategic engagement. A potential minerals-for-security agreement is currently under review, and both nations have signaled interest in formalizing a long-term partnership.
Congo has also agreed to pay for damage caused during violent protests earlier this year, when demonstrators attacked the US embassy and other diplomatic facilities. While the US State Department declined to comment on that compensation, sources close to the matter confirmed Kinshasa’s commitment to resolving the issue diplomatically.
The release of the Americans, which followed direct appeals from Trump’s special envoy for hostage affairs, is widely seen as a gesture of goodwill by Kinshasa. Lobbyist Joseph Szlavik-Soto, who represents Congolese interests in Washington, emphasized the significance of the move and the momentum it adds to mineral and defense talks.
The Trump administration has yet to specify what form US security support to Congo might take, but former defense officials have suggested possibilities ranging from military training to contractor-led stabilization programs. One official cautioned that while a partnership could promote regional stability and human rights, the Democratic Republic of Congo presents serious operational challenges due to its volatile political climate.
Human rights organizations remain watchful, calling for transparency in any future US-Congo security arrangement. The delicate balance between supporting regional peace and avoiding complicity in abuses will be critical as both nations move forward.
The broader context of the coup, led by Christian Malanga and resulting in a death sentence for dozens, continues to cast a shadow over Congo’s political landscape. As critical minerals emerge as a global priority, Congo finds itself at the center of a strategic chessboard, with the US now playing an increasingly assertive role.
