TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Andrew and Tristan Tate, who are charged with human trafficking in Romania, have returned to the U.S. after authorities lifted travel restrictions on the siblings, who have millions of online followers.
After the pair arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made it clear the influencer brothers are not welcome in his state and that his administration is conducting a preliminary inquiry into the pair — sparking pushback from supporters of the Tates.
Here is what to know.
Who are the Tates?
Andrew Tate, 38, is a former professional kickboxer and self-described misogynist who has amassed more than 10 million followers on X. He and his brother Tristan Tate, 36, are vocal supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Andrew Tate is a hugely successful social media figure, attracting millions of followers, many of them young men and schoolchildren who were drawn in by the luxurious lifestyle the influencer projects online.
He previously was banned from TikTok, YouTube and Facebook for hate speech and his misogynistic comments, including that women should bear responsibility for getting sexually assaulted.
The Tates, who are dual U.S.-British citizens, were arrested in late 2022 and formally indicted last year on charges they participated in a criminal ring that lured women to Romania, where they were sexually exploited. Andrew Tate was also charged with rape. They deny the allegations.
The Tates’ departure came after Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu said this month that a Trump administration official expressed interest in the brothers’ case at the recent Munich Security Conference.
Just weeks ago, Andrew Tate posted on X: “The Tates will be free, Trump is the president. The good old days are back. And they will be better than ever. Hold on.”
Where are they now?
The Tates arrived in the U.S. Thursday, landing in Fort Lauderdale around midday.
Speaking to reporters at the airport, Andrew Tate repeated his insistence that the siblings had done nothing wrong.
“We live in a democratic society where it’s innocent until proven guilty. And I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood. There’s a lot of opinions about us, things that go around about us on the internet,” he said.
The brothers are expected to return to Romania, where they still face criminal charges. An attorney for the siblings there did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday on when they are due back in the country.
What has
the response been to their return?
The brothers' return to the U.S. — after a Trump official expressed interest in their case — has sparked disagreement among conservative commentators and officials.
Speaking to reporters, Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis made clear he doesn't want the brothers to remain in his state.
“Florida is not a place where you’re welcome with that type of conduct,” DeSantis said.
Florida’s attorney general is examining whether the state may have any jurisdiction over the brothers’ alleged crimes, and if so, how to “hold them accountable.” In court documents, the Tates have said they are not and have never been Florida residents.
Other Republicans in the Sunshine State — which has become a stronghold of Trump's MAGA movement — are rolling out the welcome mat.
In a post on X, the Tampa Bay Young Republicans club formally invited Andrew Tate to speak to their group.
“As free speech absolutists, the Tate’s haven’t been formally convicted of any crimes and are welcome to speak to our group," the post reads. “We’re old enough to remember when a (asterisk)“Convicted Felon.”(asterisk) won the Presidency.”
What is next on the legal front?
The Tates still face criminal charges in Romania and will have to return at least from time to time for proceedings in that case, which is expected to take years to resolve.
Once the legal saga in Romania ends, the United Kingdom has an extradition request — that was approved last year by a Romanian court — for separate charges the Tates face there related to allegations of sexual aggression.
Meanwhile, a defamation lawsuit the brothers filed in Palm Beach Circuit Court in 2023 continues to proceed. The pair filed the case against a woman who accused them of imprisoning her in Romania. A judge has denied a motion by the woman, identified as Jane Doe, to pause the case until the Romanian matter is concluded.
Now that they are back in the U.S., the Tates have filed a motion seeking a temporary restraining order against the woman, but no ruling has been issued as of Friday afternoon. The siblings want the woman barred from coming within 500 feet (152 meters) of them and that she be prevented from “contacting, threatening, stalking, harming or harassing” either Tate brother.
___ Associated Press writers Curt Anderson in Tampa and Stephen McGrath in Sighisoara, Romania, contributed to this report. Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Kate Payne, The Associated Press
