Romanian President Marcel Ciolacu has firmly denied reports that the US administration under President Donald Trump pressured Romania regarding the case of Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate.
According to CNN, reports have surfaced that US officials allegedly contacted the Romanian government about the social media influencer and former kickboxer brothers, who hold dual citizenship in the US and the UK.
The Financial Times claimed that Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, discussed the case with Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu and requested the return of the brothers’ passports to allow them to travel.
Following this claim, four women who accused Tate of sexual abuse expressed their deep concern and urged the Trump administration not to interfere in the legal proceedings.
However, Ciolacu dismissed these reports in a post on X on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. He wrote:
“The US has not made any request to Romania upon the legal situation of well-known foreign influencers investigated by the Romanian authorities. There were no demands either during the @MAERomania, @RichardGrenell discussion or after it! Romania & USA share the same values regarding the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens.”
Romanian Foreign Minister Hurezeanu also denied any kind of pressure, clarifying that his meeting with Grenell at the Munich conference was informal and did not involve any official requests.
Furthermore, Tate and his brother were arrested in Romania three years ago on charges of rape, trafficking minors, money laundering, and forming an organized criminal group. The brothers remain banned from leaving Romania.
