Tucker Carlson asserted Friday that the December arrest of Andrew Tate, the pro-Trump, misogynistic social media figure currently imprisoned in Romania on suspicion of human trafficking, rape and organized crime, was “obviously a set up.”
Carlson spoke with Tina Glandian, an attorney of Tate’s, to discuss her client’s situation, but not before prefacing the interview with the claim that “Joe Biden’s State Department” is “thrilled” by it. The Fox News host also commented that Tate’s arrest and imprisonment “looks like” a “human rights violation.”
Glandian explained to Carlson that Romania’s legal system is different from that of the U.S. in that Tate was the target of a “preventative arrest” but has not yet been charged. Tate’s imprisonment (and that of his brother), she added, was extended by a month in January after prosecutors made a request, and again in February.
“[Prosecutors] have up to 180 days in which they can extend this detention without formally charging them with any crimes. So it’s an ongoing criminal investigation, but they are detained,” Glandian said.
Carlson wasn’t satisfied.
“They’re rotting in a Romanian jail, and we can only imagine what a Romanian jail is like,” he huffed. “This is the definition of a human rights violation.”
Glandian added that she believed that while the legal procedure authorities are using is “proper,” how it has been applied to Tate “is completely a violation of international human rights law.”
Carlson summed up what he believed to be the cause of Tate’s imprisonment.
“Pretty obviously a set up, Tina! I mean, let’s stop lying. These guys were super unpopular with the people in charge, and now they’re in a Romanian jail under Romanian law,” he said, adding air quotes to the last two words. “I mean, obviously, no?”
“I think you said it yourself, Tucker,” Glandian replied.