Andrew Tate & Brother Tristan, Accused Of Trafficking & Rape In Romania, Land In Florida After Pressure From Trump Administration

On Thursday, right-wing influencer Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, landed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after they left Romania via a private jet.

The Tate brothers’ spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, stated that they landed in Florida after they were detained in Romania over charges of human trafficking and rape for over two years.

Petrescu declined to comment on who paid for the flight or where the brothers were planning to travel next.

Andrew and Tristan’s lawyer, Ioan Gilga, said that they left for Romania on Thursday morning and flew to Florida. “They no longer have a travel ban… At the request of the lawyers, the prosecutor modified the content of the previously imposed obligations,” Gliga said.

Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, noted in a statement on Thursday that prosecutors approved a request to change the brothers’ travel restrictions. However, the agency did not say who made this request.

Andrew told reporters outside Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida on Thursday that “we live in a democratic society where it’s innocent until proven guilty.”

“I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood,” he added. “There’s a lot of opinions about us – all the things that go around about us on the internet.”

Romanian authorities chose to lift the ban after President Donald Trump’s administration pressured Romania to lift the travel restrictions placed on the Tate Brothers.

Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, asked Romanian foreign minister Emil Hurezeanu to return the Tate brothers’ passports and let them travel while they waited for court proceedings to end. Hurezeanu later stated that he discussed the brothers with U.S. officials but was not pressured to lift restrictions on them.

A Romania’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said there was “no pressure, no solicitations” in the discussions. 

On the same day, White House officials said the U.S. government had no direct role in bringing the Tate brothers to Florida.

When asked if his administration pressured the Romanian government to release Andrew and Tristan, Trump told reporters on Thursday in the Oval Office that he was not aware of the circumstances. 

“I just know nothing about it,” the president asserted. “We’ll check it out. We’ll let you know.”

In a statement, Romanian prosecutors declared that only the travel restrictions were lifted, while “all other obligations remain in effect, including the requirement to appear before judicial authorities whenever summoned.”

Gliga told CNN that the brothers would return to Romania on March 24 for their next court appearance.

Politicians in Romania strongly criticized the decision to lift travel restrictions.

Elena Lasconi, a candidate for the May presidential election, claimed that she was “outraged” by the choice.

Lasconi also said authorities must explain if their decision was made under outside pressure.

“We cannot accept that Romania’s image is tarnished by impunity and defiance,” she stated. “Otherwise, what message are we sending to the world? That anyone with money and influence can get away with it in Romania?”