A new report indicates that a member of President Donald Trump’s administration intervened with U.S. authorities on behalf of Andrew and Tristan Tate, the influencers facing sex-trafficking-related charges in Romania and the U.K. According to details published on Nov. 18, the intervention occurred shortly after the brothers arrived in Florida in February, when Customs and Border Protection officials seized their electronic devices.
Andrew, 38, and Tristan, 37, were indicted in Romania in 2024 over allegations that they participated in a criminal network that lured women to be sexually exploited. Andrew also faces a rape charge. Although Romania lifted their travel restrictions earlier this year, prosecutors said the brothers must continue reporting to authorities and return for further proceedings. Their Romanian case has not yet gone to trial. The pair have also faced rape and human-trafficking accusations in the U.K., and a civil suit was filed against them in the U.S., where one defamation claim is still active.
The official identified in the report is Paul Ingrassia, a lawyer who previously represented the Tates before joining the Trump administration. Ingrassia reportedly instructed senior DHS officials to return the devices, stressing that the request came from the White House. Some DHS officials were surprised, expressing concern that such communication could appear to interfere with an investigation. It remains unknown why the devices were seized or whether the intervention affected law-enforcement efforts.
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