Accused Sex Trafficker Andrew Tate, Brother Fly to U.S. After Trump Admin Reportedly Lobbied Romania for His Release
(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
Andrew Tate left Romania for the U.S. by plane with his brother Tristan Tate after being granted permission to travel amid reports that the Trump administration exerted pressure on Romania to ease restrictions on the pair of accused sex traffickers.
A Romanian official confirmed to reporters that the brothers boarded a private jet Thursday morning, reportedly bound for Florida. Citing “airport sources,” Romanian outlet G4media.ro also reported that the Tates are expected to return to Romania, where they face a range of charges, in late March to fulfill legal obligations.
Romanian prosecutors further confirmed that Andrew Tate’s request to modify his travel restrictions was granted, though he must continue checking in with authorities.
The decision to let the brothers leave Romania comes after Financial Times reported that President Donald Trump’s special envoy Richard Grenell raised their case during a hallway exchange with Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month.
As news broke, conservatives highlighted the Trump administration’s alleged involvement and warned against embracing the brothers.
Daily Wire co-founder Jeremy Boreing warned that conservative media “response” to Tate’s arrival would reveal “everything you need to know about them.”
Ben Shapiro also unleashed on the brothers in a scathing post, saying the U.S. “doesn’t need more self-proclaimed pimps and terror supporters.”
America does not need more self-proclaimed pimps and terror supporters with outstanding criminal allegations of sex trafficking and a history of pornographic distribution, plus a grift “university” that suckers young men out of thousands of dollars. pic.twitter.com/qrzW6GgbTB
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) February 27, 2025
Conservative commentator Richard Hanania said the moment felt like “a moral watershed.”
Free Beacon editor Peter Hasson shared a video of Andrew Tate as evidence he was a “bad dude.”
The brothers’ legal troubles are extensive. They face serious charges in Romania, including allegations of human trafficking, sexual misconduct, and money laundering—charges they deny. Despite being released from house arrest, they had been barred from leaving the country until now.
The Tates also face possible extradition to the UK after the conclusion of Romanian proceedings while, in Florida, a civil lawsuit accuses the brothers of coercing a woman into sex work and defaming her after she testified against them in Romania.
Attorney Matthew Jury — who represents four British women alleging rape and coercive control by Tate — condemned the move in a statement to Sky News.
“The news that pressure by the Trump administration has led to Andrew Tate, and his brother Tristan, being allowed to leave Romania by its authorities is equal parts disgusting and dismaying,” Jury said.
