Andrew and Tristan Tate Escape Romania After Alleged U.S. Intervention

Controversial influencers Andrew Tate, 38, and Tristan Tate, 36, have officially left Romania and are en route to the United States, sources confirmed early Thursday.

Their departure follows reports that former U.S. President Donald Trump pressured Romanian authorities to lift travel restrictions placed on the brothers amid ongoing legal proceedings.

The Tate brothers, dual U.S.-British citizens, were arrested in Romania in December 2022 alongside two Romanian women on charges of human trafficking, sexual misconduct, and money laundering—allegations they have consistently denied. Although a Bucharest court released them from house arrest in January 2025, citing procedural flaws in their indictment, they were barred from leaving the country as investigations continued. Their sudden clearance to travel has fueled speculation and debate.

Sources indicate that U.S. officials raised the Tates’ case during a phone call with Romanian authorities last week, followed by an in-person discussion between Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, and Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu at the Munich Security Conference. While Hurezeanu denied facing direct pressure, he acknowledged that Grenell expressed interest in the Tates’ situation. Reports suggest the Trump administration requested the return of their passports, facilitating their exit from Romania before the resolution of their legal battles.

Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer turned social media personality, and his younger brother Tristan have amassed a massive following through their controversial “manosphere” content, promoting male dominance and opposing progressive ideologies. Both have been outspoken Trump supporters, with Andrew calling him “the best president in history” and crediting their influence for shaping right-wing views among young men during the 2024 U.S. election. Tristan echoed this sentiment in November, claiming, “Millions of young men in Europe and the USA have a healthy right-wing approach to politics that they would not have if Andrew Tate had never appeared on their phone screens.”

Their departure has drawn backlash from alleged victims and legal representatives. Four British women pursuing a civil case against Andrew Tate in the U.K. for alleged sexual violence between 2013 and 2016 expressed concern over the decision. “Relaxing travel restrictions increases the risk of the Tate brothers evading justice,” their lawyers at McCue Jury & Partners stated, urging Romanian and U.K. authorities to proceed without external interference. The brothers also face potential extradition to the U.K., where Bedfordshire police are investigating allegations of rape and human trafficking, pending the conclusion of their Romanian case.

Romanian officials have remained silent on the exact circumstances surrounding the decision. An anonymous source within the Ministry of Internal Affairs told The Associated Press that prosecutors had discretion over the move, but no official statement has clarified the terms under which the Tates were permitted to leave. The timing, however, coincides with the reported U.S. diplomatic intervention, raising questions about international influence on Romania’s judicial process.