The Trump Admin Will Not Intervene On Behalf Of The Tate Brothers

The Trump administration does not plan to intervene to stop the extradition of controversial influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate to the United Kingdom, despite the brothers’ legal team urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to step in.

A senior administration official told Axios on Wednesday that the United States will not block the proceedings as the brothers fight extradition in federal court. “The U.S. has an extradition treaty with the U.K. and the administration intends to honor it in this case,” the official said.

The State Department likewise indicated it has no plans to intervene. A senior department official said Rubio has not spoken with the Tate brothers or their attorneys and that the department “has no plans to act on this matter at this time.”

Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested in Miami on Saturday, following a British extradition request tied to dozens of new criminal charges. The Crown Prosecution Service recently announced 38 additional charges against the brothers, bringing the total number of charges they face in the United Kingdom to 59. The charges include allegations of rape, sex trafficking, assault, and offenses involving indecent images of children and extreme pornography.

The brothers have thus far denied all wrongdoing, and they appeared Monday before a federal judge in Miami to begin extradition proceedings. Their attorney, Joseph McBride, argued outside the courthouse that the prosecution is politically motivated and has vowed to challenge the request. “We are of course objecting to extradition because Andrew and Tristan are innocent,” McBride told reporters. “They’ve never done nothing wrong. They shouldn’t be extradited for crimes they did not commit.”

McBride has also argued that Rubio has the authority to deny the extradition request if he determines the brothers are being politically persecuted. Court filings acknowledge the secretary retains final authority over extradition decisions after judicial proceedings conclude, but administration officials have indicated there is no appetite to exercise that discretion in this case.

According to Axios, Rubio has privately expressed disdain for the brothers, with one source telling the outlet the secretary views them as “scum.” Another source familiar with President Donald Trump’s thinking said the president likewise wants nothing to do with the influencers despite their repeated public support for him. The Tate brothers have cultivated a massive online following through content promoting wealth, hyper-masculinity, and controversial views on women. They became prominent figures within the so-called “manosphere” and have repeatedly portrayed themselves as allies of Trump and the MAGA movement.

The extradition case is only the latest legal challenge facing the brothers. They remain under criminal investigation in Romania on separate human trafficking and rape allegations, which they have also denied.

A federal judge has scheduled the brothers’ next hearing for July 27 as the extradition process continues. If the court determines the treaty requirements are met, the final decision on whether to surrender the brothers to British authorities will rest with Rubio, though administration officials have made clear they currently have no intention of blocking the request.