President Donald Trump will not step in to block the extradition of influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate to the United Kingdom, where they face sex crime charges, the White House said.
The brothers, well known online and polarising in public life, were detained by US authorities in Miami on Saturday—an action their lawyer described as “politically motivated.”
The Tates are challenging their extradition.
Asked directly at a White House news briefing whether Mr Trump or his administration planned to intervene in the extradition process, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt answered: “No.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also sought to separate the administration from the case.
“There’s no role for us to play at this moment or maybe ever in that regard,” he told reporters in the Philippines yesterday.
The Tate brothers are outspoken backers of Mr Trump and have been associated with the hyper-masculine online “manosphere,” a movement credited with helping energise support for the Republican during the 2024 US presidential election.
US media have also reported that Andrew Tate previously tried to build ties with Mr Trump’s sons, Don Jr and Barron.
The arrests came after British prosecutors announced new allegations, including rape, sex trafficking and assault.
In total, the brothers now face 59 charges—42 against Andrew Tate and 17 against Tristan Tate.
On Monday, their lawyer said they would contest extradition and maintained their innocence.
“It’s politically motivated. There’s no question about it,” attorney Joseph McBride told reporters outside a Miami court following a hearing in the case.
Separately, in Romania—where the brothers have been based in recent years—they face allegations involving trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering.
In March 2025, Florida opened a criminal investigation into the brothers, though the current status of that inquiry remains unclear.
