The surge in violence against healthcare during the 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo was attributed to distrust from insufficient community engagement. This article challenges the widespread view and argues that the response failed to acknowledge the politicized nature of the outbreak stemming from the government’s election interference. The humanitarians’ desire to remain neutral prevented them from speaking out against the government, leading to the paradoxical outcome that they were perceived as supporting the government’s oppressive agenda. This article highlights the importance of recognizing political dynamics to improve community acceptance.