Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate departed on a charter flight to Florida, United States, on the 27th (local time), according to major foreign media outlets, including CNN and the Associated Press. The two brothers had been arrested in Romania three years ago on charges related to organized crime, human trafficking of adults and minors, engaging in sexual relations with minors, and money laundering, which had prohibited their departure from Romania. However, with recent legal restrictions lifted, they left Romania for the United States.
Andrew Tate (38) is an influencer with misogynistic tendencies who was born in the United States and is a former fighter. He attracted public attention with content that boasts male dominance and wealth. He appeared on the British reality show "Big Brother" in 2016 but was expelled after a video surfaced in which he seemed to assault a woman with a belt. Following this, Tate produced extreme content that sparked controversy online, gaining numerous followers, and at one point, he was banned from all major social networking service (SNS) platforms. However, after Elon Musk acquired X (formerly Twitter), Tate's X account was restored, and he currently has over 10.7 million followers.
Analysis suggests that the background allowing the Tate brothers to return to the United States involved the influence of the Donald Trump administration. The brothers have publicly supported former President Trump, and Tristan Tate claimed he contributed to Trump's reelection after the U.S. presidential election last November.
The Financial Times (FT) reported, citing internal sources, that the U.S. government actively intervened for the release of the Tate brothers, with Richard Grenell, special envoy of President Trump, playing a key role in the process. In response, Grenell stated, "I did not meet with the Romanian foreign minister. I didn't even know who he was," and claimed he never urged their release. The Romanian foreign minister also revealed he did not receive any pressure from the Trump envoy. However, the FT reported that "Grenell claimed he never officially requested the return of the Tate brothers' passports to Romania, but the issue of the Tate brothers appears to have been mentioned in meetings with the Romanian foreign minister."
The Tate brothers' legal issues are not over. They are facing legal problems in the United Kingdom as well, where four women have filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew Tate for rape and coercive control. These women stated in a joint declaration, "We are experiencing shock and trauma again upon hearing the news that Tate is leaving Romania for the United States." U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also mentioned in a meeting with President Trump, "Justice must be done. Human trafficking is a security issue and a national concern. We will continue to monitor this situation."
Currently, the Tate brothers have begun their lives in the United States, but their legal responses in Romania and the United Kingdom will still continue. The U.S. Department of Justice is expected to initiate a "preliminary investigation" in Florida, and if the brothers' crimes fall under Florida's jurisdiction, they may face legal liability.