Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested by U.S. Marshals in Miami on Saturday, based on an extradition request from the United Kingdom where they face dozens of new charges, including rape and human trafficking, which they deny. Their lawyer, Joseph McBride, stated that former President Donald Trump will support the brothers, asserting that Trump "hates political persecution and communism."
McBride told the Daily Mail that the extradition request was initiated by British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in one of his final acts before resigning. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) unveiled new charges accusing Andrew, 39, and Tristan, 37, of abusing women between July 2010 and August 2017. Andrew faces seven counts of rape, three counts of facilitating sexual exploitation, three counts of assault, and 19 charges related to indecent images of children and extreme pornography. Tristan is charged with one count of sexual assault, two counts of rape, and three counts of facilitating sexual exploitation.
The Tate brothers, who have pleaded not guilty to all charges worldwide, are dual U.S. and British citizens. They are expected to appear in federal court in Miami on Monday, where the indictment against them will be unsealed.
McBride claimed that a low-level Department of Justice official approved the warrant without the knowledge of DOJ leadership. He indicated that the Tates will contest their extradition "100,000 percent," suggesting the case could proceed before a federal judge and potentially extend for months. McBride declined to comment directly on whether he wanted Trump to intervene.
Recent reports suggest a connection between the Tate brothers and the Trump family. Andrew Tate reportedly texted a friend in January 2025, stating he had heard from "The Trump admin" that "they're on top of things" and he would be free soon. The New York Times reported that Barron Trump, 20, is reportedly friends with Andrew Tate and admires him. Donald Trump Jr. has publicly supported Andrew Tate, stating on a joint live stream in June 2024 that Tate was being attacked and silenced.
Andrew and Tristan Tate were previously arrested in Romania in December 2022 and charged in June 2023 with human trafficking and forming an organized crime group to sexually exploit women, with Andrew also charged with rape. Romanian prosecutors expanded their case in August 2024 to include charges of money laundering, witness intimidation, and complicity in the trafficking of minors. British prosecutors filed their own charges in May 2025. Romanian courts had ruled the brothers would be extradited to the UK after proceedings in Romania concluded, though a Bucharest court of appeals sent the case back to prosecutors in 2024 after deeming some evidence inadmissible.
The brothers were permitted to leave Romania for the U.S. in February 2025 after authorities lifted their travel ban, a move that reportedly followed pressure from figures within the Trump administration. Trump himself has stated he knows "nothing about it." A White House official was also reported by ProPublica to have intervened to have federal agents return electronic devices seized from the brothers upon their arrival in Florida.
Andrew Tate, a former professional kickboxer, has amassed a large following, particularly among young men, through his promotion of a luxury lifestyle and controversial views, including misogynistic statements. He has been banned from several major social media platforms for violating hate speech guidelines.