US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has suggested that neither he nor Donald Trump will step in to block the extradition of Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan to the UK to face rape charges.
The notorious “manosphere” social media influencers are currently being held in custody in Miami after being arrested on Saturday, with court filings making it clear that only Mr Rubio has the “sole discretion” to prevent their removal from the US.
Speaking with reporters in the Philippines, Mr Rubio said: "There's no role for us to play at this moment, or maybe ever in that regard.
“I'm not going to opine on something that's still working through a legal process."
A senior Trump administration official also told Axios: "The U.S. has an extradition treaty with the U.K. and the administration intends to honour it in this case.”
During his 2024 re-election campaign, the Tate brothers campaigned for Mr Trump and told reporters after his assassination attempt that Andrew had spoken to his son Barron, adding: “I’m very close with the Trump family. I know them well.”
However, both publicly and officially, Trump’s White House administration have kept the brothers at arm’s length.
In court documents unsealed on Monday, US prosecutors described allegations against the brothers from three UK complainants.
One woman accused Tristan Tate of rape and assault during a long-term relationship with him beginning in 2012, including when she was unconscious. She said that she reported him to UK authorities multiple times.
Two other women, one who met Andrew Tate through a webcam business and another through a dating app, accused him of rape and assault in 2014 and 2015.
The allegations, spanning 2010 to 2017, include rape, assault, trafficking and offences relating to “indecent images of a child and extreme pornography”.
The brothers are already charged with rape, bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain relating to three other alleged victims in the UK between 2012 and 2015.
Their lawyer Joseph McBride has claimed that their arrests and charges are politically motivated, and suggested that the Tates' case “had a lot to do with” Sir Keir Starmer's decision to step down as prime minister, without providing any details.
He also claimed it was no coincidence that the brothers were arrested after meeting “friends in Washington, DC”.
A US district judge will decide whether they meet the conditions for extradition, with US Magistrate Lauren Louis setting another hearing for 27 July.
The US has agreed since 2020 to send more than 20 people wanted in the UK on various criminal charges, according to the UK government. With possible appeals, the process could last a few years — if the accused wants to fight it.
The former professional kickboxers have millions of followers on social media, with Andrew Tate amassing over 10 million on X, but they have been banned on several platforms for violating hate speech guidelines.
He has made widely condemned comments, such as saying women who are sexually assaulted should bear some responsibility for the attacks.
The Tate brothers have consistently denied allegations of abuse and human trafficking, claiming their violent and misogynistic statements have been taken out of context or were intended as jokes.
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