GOP Infighting Erupts As Florida Group Welcomes The Tate Brothers

Source: Alon Skuy / Getty

A group of Florida Republicans are under fire for inviting Andrew and Tristan Tate to an event while still charged with human trafficking.

Members of the Republican Party are at odds after an invitation was extended to controversial right-wing figures Andrew and Tristan Tate to speak at an event upon their arrival in the United States. The brothers were incarcerated in Romania after being arrested in 2022 on charges of human trafficking, allegedly luring women to the country to be sexually abused. The two were invited to speak to the Tampa Bay Young Republicans through a post by the group on social media, writing in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “As free speech absolutists, the Tates haven’t been formally convicted of any crimes and are welcome to speak to our group. We’re old enough to remember when a ‘Convicted Felon’ won the Presidency. #Freestate.”

TBYR formally welcomes @Cobratate & @TateTheTalisman to Florida. As free speech absolutists, the Tate’s haven’t been formally convicted of any crimes and are welcome to speak to our group. We’re old enough to remember when a *”Convicted Felon.”* won the Presidency. #Freestate pic.twitter.com/9Ds5hFLnfb

— Tampa Bay Young Republicans (@TBYR) February 27, 2025

The invite was met with severe brushback from conservatives and right-wing figures calling the move “disgusting,” especially as speculation has arisen that President Donald Trump pressured the Romanian government into releasing the Tates. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expressed his frustration at the situation. “I do know our attorney general, James Uthmeier, is looking at what state hooks and jurisdiction we may have to be able to deal with this,” he said to reporters. “But the reality is, no, Florida is not a place where you’re welcome with that type of conduct in the air. And I don’t know how it came to this. We were not involved, we were not notified—I found out through the media that this was something that was happening.”

Other right-wing figures directly addressed the Tampa Bay Young Republican’s post. Megyn Kelly responded, “You’ve lost your way, boys.” The Capital Young Republicans blasted their counterparts, writing: “We strongly condemn this deliberate erosion of conservative principles, professional conduct, and common decency.”

The Tates landed in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday night (Feb. 27). “I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood. There’s a lot of opinions about us – all the things that go around about us on the internet,” Andrew Tate said to members of the press at the airport. The Romanian anti-crime agency, DIICOT, did confirm that a request was made for their release but didn’t disclose who made it. They also stated that the Tates are expected to return to Romania as they are under “judicial control.”