Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Thursday after Romanian authorities lifted their travel restrictions, allowing them to leave the country for the first time since their arrest in 2022. The brothers, dual citizens of the U.S. and U.K., flew out of Romania on a private jet and landed in Florida, where their presence has already sparked political and legal scrutiny.
"We live in a democratic society where it's innocent until proven guilty," Andrew Tate told reporters outside Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. "I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood. There's a lot of opinions about us that go around on the internet. We've yet to be convicted of any crime in our lives ever. We have no criminal record anywhere on the planet."
Their lawyer, Ioan Gliga, confirmed the departure, stating, "They no longer have a travel ban... The prosecutor, at the request of the lawyers, modified the content of the obligations previously imposed." However, Romanian authorities have emphasized that the Tates are still under judicial control and must return to Romania for their next court hearing on March 24.
The decision to lift the travel ban has been met with backlash both in Romania and the U.S. Romanian presidential candidate Elena Lasconi called the move "outrageous" and questioned whether external pressure played a role. "We cannot accept that Romania's image is tarnished by impunity and defiance," she said.
The Financial Times reported earlier this month that President Donald Trump's administration had allegedly pushed Romanian officials to ease restrictions on Tate, including through a phone call and a meeting between Trump's special envoy Richard Grenell and Romania's Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu at the Munich Security Conference. Hurezeanu confirmed discussing the matter with U.S. officials but denied being pressured. A Romanian Foreign Ministry spokesperson also said there was "no pressure, no solicitations" in the discussions.
Despite Romania's stance, the timing of the decision has fueled speculation about U.S. involvement. When asked about the Tates' arrival in Florida, a senior Trump administration official told reporters, "I have no insight right now on anything related to the Tate brothers," adding that the White House would monitor the situation.
In the U.S., Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticized the Tates' presence in the state and suggested they were unwelcome. "Florida is not a place where you are welcome with that type of conduct," DeSantis said at a news conference. His attorney general, James Uthmeier, added that the state would investigate whether the Tate brothers' legal troubles could trigger Florida jurisdiction. "Florida has zero tolerance for human trafficking and violence against women," Uthmeier wrote on X.
Joseph McBride, an attorney representing the Tate brothers, pushed back against DeSantis' comments. "Andrew & Tristan Tate are American Citizens. They are also the Plaintiffs and victims in a very public defamation lawsuit litigated in Palm Beach Court," McBride wrote on X. "Trump-hating @RonDeSantis has disgraced himself by stating that @Cobratate & @TateTheTalisman are not welcome in Florida!"
Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, four women who have accused Tate of rape and coercive control in an ongoing civil lawsuit expressed outrage over his ability to leave Romania. "We are in disbelief and feel re-traumatized," the women said in a statement. "There is now a major risk that the criminal prosecution for his alleged crimes in Romania will not proceed."
Matthew Jury, their attorney, argued that allowing the brothers to travel could jeopardize legal proceedings. "Any notion that the Tates will return to Romania if there is a risk of them being jailed is fanciful," Jury said. "Romania may not have relinquished judicial control over the Tates, but they have relinquished any effective or practical control."
While the Tate brothers have not disclosed their next destination, their spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, declined to comment on who paid for their private flight. The Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism confirmed that their departure had been approved but reiterated that they remain under investigation for charges including human trafficking, sex with a minor, and money laundering.
President Trump, when asked about their arrival in the U.S., stated, "I just know nothing about it. We'll check it out." U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was in Washington for meetings, also weighed in, saying human trafficking remains a security risk and that his government would "look into the issue."
The case against the Tate brothers remains ongoing. In December, a Romanian court delayed the start of their trial, citing flaws in the indictment. A month later, a house arrest order against them was lifted, followed by the return of luxury cars worth €4 million ($4.43 million) that had been seized by prosecutors.
