Self-described misogynist Andrew Tate sought to portray himself as a victim on Wednesday after British officials confirmed rape charges have been authorized against the MAGA-supporting influencer.
“The matrix is angry,” Tate wrote in a post on X. “They do this to ANY man who fights against them. Never give up men. Never give in. Do not be scared. Strength and honor.”
Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate — who were born in the United States and hold dual U.S. and U.K. citizenship — already face human trafficking charges in Romania as part of a separate criminal inquiry. British prosecutors announced Wednesday that the brothers faces a total of 21 charges, including rape and human trafficking, in the U.K.
As The New York Times reported: British prosecutors said the brothers “would be extradited to the United Kingdom after the conclusion of separate criminal proceedings in Romania. Charges can be lodged against suspects only when they are physically in Britain.”
The brothers have denied the allegations against them in both Romania and the United Kingdom.
Naturally, Andrew Tate, who’s amassed a large following online by spewing rank bigotry — particularly toward women — sought the warm embrace of his hypermasculine horde through a conspiratorial social media post framing the U.K. charges as nothing more than an assault on true manhood.
I have some better advice than “never give in” for the 38-year-old former professional kickboxer — and for men everywhere: Always get consent. And as an aside, that “strength and honor” line Tate included in his social media response to the new rape charge appears to be faux-macho schlock pulled from a “Gladiator” film.
Various members of the Trump administration have publicly supported the Tate brothers, despite the allegations against them. And when the brothers visited the U.S. earlier this year, they were treated to a sort of hero’s welcome from Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White, a close ally of Donald Trump. The greeting caused division in the conservative movement, with some right-wing influencers noting the terrible optics. Florida’s Republican attorney general has even opened a criminal investigation into allegations of sexually predatory behavior, showing there’s more than a little intraparty uneasiness among Republicans when it comes the these two.
One wonders how the president’s allies will interact with the brothers going forward. Granted, conservatives have broadly coalesced around Trump, who’s been found liable for sexual abuse and who’s boasted about groping women without their consent, so sexual misconduct allegations may not deter too many of their MAGA-aligned supporters.
