Andrew Tate says he and his brother are 'largely misunderstood' after arriving in US - live updates

Tate brothers arrive in US as Romania says case against them is not closed

Controversial social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate have arrived in the US after Romanian prosecutors agreed to let the pair leave the country in a surprise move - three years after their arrest on allegations of rape, trafficking minors and money laundering.

The private jet the brothers flew in on touched down at Fort Lauderdale late on Thursday morning after a 12-hour flight.

Speaking shortly after landing, Andrew Tate told reporters he and his brother were "largely misunderstood" and insisted the accusations were all essentially a conspiracy against him and that he didn't do anything wrong.

Their arrival came as a surprise to Florida Governor Ron De Santis, who said he was not told they were coming and that he only learned of the news through the media. The governor, who challenged Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican primaries, added that the state was "not a place where [they] are welcome".

It's not yet clear why they were allowed to leave, or if the US played a role in the decision, but a lawyer representing four alleged victims in the UK told the BBC that Donald Trump's administration is "interfering in due process". Trump told reporters he knows nothing about their release.

Romanian prosecutors said the case against the Tates was not closed and that they expected the brothers to return to the country. Tate declined to say if he would return to Romania, though his lawyer said the brothers planned to travel to the country at the end of March to meet prosecutors.

The lawyer added that the election of Donald Trump as president was the primary reason the brothers, who are dual US-UK citizens, now felt safe to make America their home again.

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