Andrew Tate, the notorious “manosphere” influencer, is in big trouble. He’s charged in Romania with human trafficking and sexual misconduct. But he may also have a powerful ally: Donald Trump.
The White House has “pressed Romanian authorities to lift travel restrictions” on Tate and his brother while they await trial on the accusations, said the Financial Times. The Tate brothers have become a “cause célèbre in rightwing social media” following their arrest in 2022. American officials brought up the case during a phone call, after which the topic was raised by Richard Grenell, Trump’s special envoy. Grenell said he had no “substantive” discussion with Romanian officials, but added that he supports the Tates “as evident by my publicly available tweets.”
Tate is a “powder keg” because of his “explicitly sexist worldview and its profound influence” on millions of young men, said Aja Romano at Vox. The former kickboxer became popular on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube with a message that emphasized “aggressive emotional and physical dominance over women.” In addition to the charges in Romania, the Tates face an investigation in the United Kingdom and “multiple civil lawsuits filed by alleged victims.” The administration’s support for Tate may reflect a “larger, grimmer regression” in American politics, Romano said.
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The power of ‘likes, shares and algorithms’
Tate’s alliance with Trump has been “in the making for a long time,” said Matt Shea at The Guardian. One of Tate’s lawyers, Paul Ingrassia, was recently sworn in as a White House liaison for the Department of Justice, and Tate has reportedly been friendly with Donald Trump Jr. since 2016 — evidence that “Tate has access to the highest levels of Trump’s inner circle.” The partnership makes sense: Trump and Tate have both learned that “likes and the shares and the algorithms” can be transformed into “fame, wealth and power.”
Trump should “stay away from Andrew Tate,” said Brady Leonard at The Washington Examiner. Tate became famous after “bragging about his sexual exploits and general mistreatment of women.” Even if innocent of the charges, Trump should avoid “stepping on this clear and obvious rake.” There’s no political upside to associating with a figure whose “obnoxious, misogynistic brand is toxic to everyone.”
A ringleader for ‘contemptible chauvinists’
The administration’s support for Tate is a “stunning new low,” said Edith Olmsted at The New Republic. The incentives, though, are clear: Trump relied on a coterie of “contemptible internet chauvinists” to win the White House, and Tate is the ringleader for that group: One study found that “more of the youngest men trusted Tate than President Joe Biden.” With this move, Trump appears to be searching for ways to help his supporters, “no matter how grotesque the accusations against them.”
Romanian officials have denied “being pressured,” said the BBC. But news of the Trump administration’s efforts has alarmed the alleged victims in the case against Tate. Matthew Jury, a lawyer who represents four of those women, said they are “absolutely bewildered why the Trump administration has decided to interfere in this way.”
