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A video of Dana White, president of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and supporter of President Donald Trump, greeting Andrew Tate, who has been accused of human trafficking and rape, has drawn backlash from some conservatives on social media.
Newsweek has reached out to the UFC to reach White for comment via email on Sunday.
Why It Matters
The Tate brothers, Andrew and Tristian, face human trafficking charges in Romania, and recently arrived in the United States after their travel ban was lifted. They landed in Florida where Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said they were not welcome and asked the attorney general to explore whether the Sunshine State had jurisdiction over any of their alleged crimes.
White is a vocal supporter of Trump's political rise, having spoken at the Republican National Convention in support of him in 2016 and 2024. The two have also been seen attending UFC fights together. In January, White joined the board of Meta, Facebook's parent company, expanding his influence beyond UFC.
White's embrace of the brothers has raised concerns among some conservatives, especially considering that DeSantis did not extend a similar welcome.
What To Know
On Friday night, White greeted the Tate brothers at Power Slap 12 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a slap fighting competition.
Andrew Tate shared a video of White, seen hugging Tristian and speaking with both the brothers on X, formerly Twitter. He captioned the video "Dana the OG."
In the video, White can be heard saying "Welcome to the States, boys." The clip shows them conversing amicably, but it cannot be heard what is being said.
Versions of the video have been circulating online, with some conservative Trump supporters calling out White for greeting the controversial brothers, with some suggesting they will boycott UFC.
The Tate brothers, dual U.S.-British citizens, were arrested in late 2022 and formally indicted last year in Romania on charges of participating in a criminal network that lured women to the country for sexual exploitation. Andrew Tate was also charged with rape. Both deny the allegations.
As part of a separate investigation, the brothers are wanted by police in the United Kingdom over allegations of rape, human trafficking and tax evasion. They deny those allegations as well.
Andrew Tate, 38, a former professional kickboxer and self-proclaimed misogynist, is a highly influential social media figure with millions of followers. He and his 36-year-old brother, Tristan, are outspoken supporters of Trump.
Andrew Tate has previously been banned from TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook for hate speech and misogynistic remarks, including claims that women should bear responsibility for sexual assault.
On Saturday, the brothers were cage side for UFC 313 inside T-Mobile Arena. The bothers walked in with the YouTube famous Nelk Boys. Actor and host Mario Lopez was seen on online videos hugging Andrew Tate.
What People Are Saying
The X account "Republicans Against Trump," wrote on Saturday: "Dana White meets with Andrew and Tristan Tate. Absolutely disgusting!"
Conservative commentator John Cardillo wrote in a Saturday X post: "I'm done with @ufc. If @danawhite can't draw a line and disassociate from trash who bragged on video about grooming and raping teen girls, it tells me all I need to know."
Dana Loesch, conservative radio host and former spokesperson for the National Rifle Association (NRA), wrote on Saturday: "I don't get the appeal: men who live off the welfare of women's s*x work is neither strong, nor godly. Its weakness masked as strength. Not everyone is buying, but sad to see those who do."
Chris Loesch, Dana's husband, a Christian Trump supporter with over 169,000 followers on X, wrote: "I will no longer watch or support the UFC. This is disgusting."
The X account "Misfit Patriot," who identifies as a proud MAGA who has around 50,000 followers, shared a video about Andrew Tate and wrote: "Hey. @danawhite, this is the guy whose hand you just shook last night. You might want to get some purelle [purell]."
Jeremy Boreing, co-CEO of The Daily Wire, wrote in a February 27 X post: "The way conservatives and conservative organizations respond to Andrew Tate arriving on US soil will tell you everything you need to know about them. Any organization or host who embraces him is engaged in far worse than simple grift, though it is that. Andrew Tate is the enemy of any traditional American conservatism."
What Happens Next?
Despite the brothers leaving the Sunshine State, Florida State Attorney General James Uthmeier has opened a criminal investigation against them.
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About the writer
Mandy Taheri is a Newsweek reporter based in Brooklyn. She joined Newsweek as a reporter in 2024. You can get ... Read more