Some of the biggest names in combat sports and MAGA politics crossed paths at a Power Slap event in Las Vegas, where UFC President Dana White finally met kickboxer and accused human trafficker Andrew Tate.
Along with his brother, Tristan, Andrew greeted the MMA promoter before the 12th instalment of White’s fledgling slap-fighting circuit.
‘Pleasure to meet you,’ Tristan can be heard saying to White in one of the videos that have since surfaced on social media.
The Tates recently fled Romania, where they face human trafficking, organized crime and money laundering charges, as well as a rape claim against the 38-year-old social media influencer, Andrew. They both deny the allegations.
The brothers arrived in Florida last week, only to discover state Attorney General James Uthmeier launched an investigation into the outstanding allegations against them – something Andrew described as ‘absolute communism.’ The brothers have since arrived in Nevada, where they were greeted by White on Friday night.
Like White, the Tates are ardent Trump supporters, and Andrew has claimed to be ‘very close’ with the Trump family, including 18-year-old Barron.
Dana White is seen greeting Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan on Friday in Las Vegas
White had apparently never met the Tate brothers, who are also proud MAGA supporters
Andrew Tate speaks to the media upon arrival from Romania, after prosecutors lifted a travel ban related to criminal charges against him and his brother Tristan on February 27
Of course, there is considerably public animosity towards Andrew, a self-described misogynist, who became famous on reality television and has since claimed to make $600,000 a month off of 75 female employees working at his webcam business.
As a result, White also faced vitriol from Tate critics on Friday.
‘Power slap is just a scheme for right wing grifting influencers to network,’ one critic wrote on X in response to footage of White’s meeting with the Tates.
‘Should be an amazing domestic violence best practices exchange,’ added another, referring to the viral 2023 clip of White slapping his wife in Mexico.
‘And the verdict is that we should all boycott the UFC,’ one more critic followed.
Both US-UK dual citizens, the Tates were banned from leaving Romania pending their criminal probe. They’re also facing criminal proceedings in the UK over human trafficking and rape claims dating back to between 2012 and 2015.
Tristan and Andrew Tate are seen smoking cigars after arriving in Florida from Romania
Their return to the United States remains somewhat opaque.
The Tates’ US-based attorney Joseph McBride said he would not comment on any potential State Department or White House involvement in his clients’ return to the country. Trump officials have similarly sidestepped comment on the subject, while Trump himself said he was unaware of the situation before vowing to look into the matter.
However, sources told The Financial Times in February that US officials discussed the Tate brothers’ case in a phone call with Romanian government officials.
Furthermore, Trump’s special envoy Richard Grenell reportedly addressed the case with Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu at the Munich Security Conference in mid-February. One source told the FT a request had been made to return the Tates’ passports and allow their return to the United States as they await the conclusion of their sex-trafficking trial. Hurezeanu confirmed to Euronews that he did speak with Grenell but denied facing any pressure to allow the Tates to leave Romania.
‘I did not perceive this statement as pressure, just a repeat of a known stance,’ Hurezeanu said. ‘I don’t know what pressures of another nature were made before or after but what I discussed with Mr. Grenell was cordial, informal, brief, non-binding and I certainly did not detect any form of pressure.’
Following their arrival in the US, McBride released a statement saying the Tates ‘feel secure in America for several reasons, the primary one being that Donald Trump is the President.’
Trump speaks with Dana White (left) during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in 2024
White’s relationship with Trump is far less shrouded.
Trump has tapped the UFC President and CEO to speak for him at the last three Republican National Conventions, leading many to wonder if he’d serve a greater role in the White House at some point.
‘His base is Trump’s base,’ Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s former White House counselor, previously told The New York Times of White. ‘And Trump’s base is his base.’
White, however, has downplayed any potential Trump appointment.
‘Donald Trump is one of my very good friends,’ White told Sports Business Journal through a spokesperson. ‘He did a great job in his last term as president, and I know he will do an even better job the next four years. I have no personal political aspirations.’
Besides, White may provide a greater service to Trump through what The New York Times calls ‘cage-match politics.’ Trump now makes regular cage-side appearances at UFC events, where fight fans — and the fighters themselves — have showered the former President with adulation.
White recently spoke on Trump’s behalf before the inauguration last month.
He focused the early part of his speech on Trump’s 312-226 electoral college victory over Kamala Harris and his 1.5-percent edge in the popular vote.
‘Not only did he win the electoral college by 86 points, but President Trump was the first Republican candidate in 20 years to win the popular vote,’ White continued. ‘He also made tremendous gains among traditional Democrat voters by increasing his support with Latin, Asian-American, black and young voters.
‘So what does that tell us?’ White asked, rhetorically. ‘Democracy is alive and well in this country. And the people have spoke loud and clear: America wants President Trump back in the White House.’
White, Trump, singer Kid Rock and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk pose for a photo as they attend UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in New York, on November 16
White also portrayed Trump as a hero for overcoming the media, legal system, and even an assassin’s bullet during his campaign.
‘Think about this, winning this election after everything that’s happened over the last few years is an amazing achievement and an incredible comeback story,’ White said. ‘Think of all the things President Trump had to go through to get back here, all the powerful forces that tried to take him down: the mainstream media, partisan prosecutors, assassins.
‘It’s absolutely insane what this man has been through. And only President Trump could have fought through all those obstacles, all the attacks and still come out the winner.’
Similarly, Andrew Tate has portrayed himself as a victim of the media, telling reporters in Florida that he and his brother are ‘largely misunderstood.’
‘There’s a lot of opinions about us that go around on the internet,’ Andrew said in a statement. ‘We’ve yet to be convicted of any crime in our lives ever. We have no criminal record anywhere on the planet.
McBride has said his clients are victims of ‘lawfare’ – a term Trump has used to describe criminal charges and investigations he’s faced.
Uthmeier has countered with the Tates’ own public statements.
‘These guys have themselves publicly admitted to participating in what very much appears to be soliciting, trafficking, preying upon women around the world,’ Uthmeier said Tuesday.
