GEOFF BENNETT: Now a new investigation into the## political maneuvers that led to the# release of Andrew and Tristan Tate,## right-wing influencers charged with# rape, human trafficking and other crimes.

The Tates, who are major players with big social# media followings in the so-called manosphere,## are facing criminal investigations in Romania# and criminal charges in the U.K.

for alleged sex## crimes.

The brothers had been barred from leaving# Romania for years as prosecutors built their case.## But, in February, the Romanian government# suddenly lifted the travel ban and allowed## the two to board a plane to Florida, which they# announced in this video recorded on the plane.

Both men have denied the criminal allegations.# A new report from The New York Times reveals## how the Trump administration and some# members of the president's family may## have been involved in a larger movement in# conservative circles to support the Tates.

For more, we're joined now by# New York Times investigative## reporter Megan Twohey, who helped break the story.

Thanks for being with us.

MEGAN TWOHEY, The New York# Times: Happy t.. GEOFF BENNETT: So, for the unfamiliar,# tell us more about who the Tate brothers## are and the criminal allegations# they were facing in Romania.

MEGAN TWOHEY: So, Andrew Tate and his# brother Tristan to a lesser extent are## two of the most influential figures# in the so-called manosphere world.

They -- Andrew's a former kickboxer, who# has built a huge, massive online audience## by preaching brazen masculinity and chauvinism# to a young male audience.

He and his brother## also ran a porn business for about 10 years,# bragging about how they lured and steered women## into making sexual content for paying customers# online, and with them taking a lot of the profit.

And they have also sold courses to young# men on how to make money and exploit women.

GEOFF BENNETT: And, as we mentioned, the# Romanian courts originally required the## Tates to remain in that country as the# cases were built against them.

But then## seemingly overnight back in February, they# were seen on this plane headed to Florida.

Your reporting links that shift to# the relationships they cultivated with## influential figures on the political right, to# include members of Donald Trump's own family.## What did you learn about those relationships?

MEGAN TWOHEY: Yes.

So, Andrew and Tristan, they .. Romania since like the mid-2010s.

And in 2022,# they started to come under investigation.

There## ultimately have been under investigation in three# countries, in Romania, where they're accused of## trafficking dozens of women into their porn# business and Andrew's been accused of rape.

They also have been accused, they're# facing charges in Britain of rape and## trafficking.

They have also been under criminal# investigation here in the United States.

But,## remarkably, as they started to come under# growing numbers of criminal investigations,## they forged really close alliances with people# on the American right, ranging from media## figures like Tucker Carlson and Candace# Owens to members of the Trump family,## first starting with Donald Trump# Jr.

and then with Barron Trump.

And those -- we found in the course of our# reporting that those sort of strategic alliances## culminated in their release from# Romania in February of this year.

GEOFF BENNETT: How?

How did that all# happen?

How did the U.S.

involvement## in their case ramp up after Trump's reelection?

MEGAN TWOHEY: So, the prosecutors in# Romania had barred the brothers from## traveling.

They have been arguing as they# have been investigating these brothers## that they pose a public risk and a flight# risk, a public danger and a flight risk.

And so they have like repeatedly been# seeking to confine them in the country.## And that changed in February,# when the prosecutors -- like,## an extraordinary order came down from# the highest levels of the Romanian## government instructing prosecutors to# reach a compromise with the brothers.

And then those travel bans were lifted, which was# something that the prosecutors did not want to do,## according to our sources.

And what we have learned# is that was really a culmination.

Once Trump was## reelected, there were supporters of the Tates# here in the United States who ascended into## the administration, including a special diplomatic# envoy named Richard Grenell, who we found through## our reporting had at least two conversations# with Romanian officials about the Tates' case.

And then within days of that second# conversation, the order came down in Romania## ordering the compromise that led to the lifting# of the travel bans.

And we have been told that## the Romanian prime minister believed that# that would appease the Trump administration.

GEOFF BENNETT: What did your reporting find about## the involvement of Donald Trump# Jr.

and Barron Trump specifically?

MEGAN TWOHEY: Yes.

So, the -- so, Andrew Tate# .. shrewd in cultivating these alliances# with people on the American right,## including in the Trump family.

And so his# relationship with Don Jr.

stretches back to 2017,## when Andrew had posted a positive tweet# about his father and Don Jr.

had liked it.

And, anyway, soon, they were hanging# out at Trump Tower here in New York.## And that stretched up through him# coming under investigation and## being placed on house arrest in Romania.# Don Jr.

was one of the people who posted## online supporting in defense of the Tates# and critical of the Romanian investigation.

And then we found that, by 2024,# Barron Trump, the youngest son,## was also a fan of Andrew and that# they actually spoke by Zoom last year## with a mutual friend, who told me that# Barron is a big fan of the Tates and that,## on this call, they had actually discussed# the Romanian case and how they thought it## was just an effort to silence the Tates, a# politically motivated criminal investigation.

GEOFF BENNETT: Your reporting points to a network## of powerful conservative figures# who have championed the Tates,## but not everyone on the right shares# that view.

So what are the fault lines?

MEGAN TWOHEY: Within hours of the travel bans# being lifted, the brothers were on a private## plane to Florida.

And their arrival was, I think,# a little bit bumpier than they had expected.

While on the one hand, they have garnered a# lot of support from certain media and other## conservative figures and even members of# the Trump family here in the United States,## there were also a lot of conservatives, other# conservatives, more traditional conservatives## who were outraged that they had come back to# the United States, Megyn Kelly, Ben Shapiro.

The Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said# that they weren't welcome in his state.## And the Florida attorney general actually# launched an investigation of them there.

GEOFF BENNETT: Megan, how was the White# House responding to your reporting?

MEGAN TWOHEY: Well, we went to the White# House and Barron Trump and Donald Trump## Jr.

with a lot of detailed questions# and spelling out all of our findings.

Don Jr.

did not respond.

We got no response for# Barron Trump.

The White House basically gave us## one line, which was that they say the White House# has no involvement in the Tates' legal cases.

GEOFF BENNETT: Megan Twohey of The New York# Times, thanks for sharing your reporting with us.

MEGAN TWOHEY: Thanks so much for having me.