Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented Wednesday on the Miami arrests of social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate, who are charged with rape and sex trafficking in the United Kingdom.
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Rubio was meeting with foreign ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Philippines.
“I don’t know the details of this particular case. I’ve been overseas, but I mean, I know who you’re talking about. I just don’t know the details of it,” he replied when asked about the arrests by a reporter.
“These cases have a process that they go through in the courts. My understanding is that they’re involved in that judicial process, and so that’ll play itself out at this point. And there’s no role for us to play at this moment, or maybe ever in that regard, but I’m not going to opine on that,” he finished.
The brothers, who have millions of followers on social media and are vocal supporters of President Donald Trump, were arrested on Saturday and appeared in federal court in Miami on Monday. Their attorney said they are planning to fight extradition to the U.K.
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NBC6 obtained the unsealed court documents, where U.S. prosecutors described allegations from the United Kingdom against the brothers involving three victims.
One woman accused Tristan Tate of rape and assault during a long-term relationship with him beginning in 2012, including when she was unconscious, reporting him to U.K. authorities multiple times, the complaints said.
Two other women, one who met Andrew Tate through a webcam business and another through a dating app, also accused him of rape and assault in 2014 and 2015.
A judge in the U.K. signed warrants for the brothers’ arrest in January 2024, the complaints said.
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Both remain in federal custody and are due back in court on July 27.