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Conservative podcaster Jason Whitlock blasted far-right influencer Andrew Tate as a “pimp” and “pornographer” earlier this week — only to do an about-face two days later, claiming the self-described misogynist is “necessary” because he’s “willing to say things that powerful people don’t like.”
Along with his brother Tristan, Tate is awaiting trial in Romania on human trafficking charges after being accused of running a criminal ring to lure women to the country to be sexually exploited. Tate has also been accused of rape. However, the brothers — who are dual U.S.-British citizens — were permitted to leave Romania last week, prompting them to embark for Florida.
The arrival of Tate in the United States immediately sparked an “intra-MAGA fight,” with many socially conservative pundits and politicians expressing disgust over the support the “manosphere” guru has built up among the American right. Especially amid reports that the Trump administration had played a role in freeing the brothers from Romania, even though President Donald Trump has pleaded ignorance about the case.
“America does not need more self-proclaimed pimps and terror supporters with outstanding criminal allegations of sex trafficking and a history of pornographic distribution,” Ben Shapiro, for instance, groused of the misogynist poster boy.
After Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that the Tates were not welcome in his state, the state’s attorney general called for his office to work with law enforcement to begin a preliminary criminal inquiry into the brothers. Still, other high-profile MAGA figures — such as White House counselor Alina Habba, Candace Owens, Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr. — remain fans of Andrew Tate.
Whitlock, a sports journalist turned right-wing culture warrior, appeared at first to fall into the camp that was denouncing Tate and urging conservatives to entirely reject him. During Monday’s broadcast of his Blaze Media podcast Fearless, Whitlock juxtaposed the Oscar-winning film Anora with Tate’s popularity on the right.
“Andrew Tate isn’t some conservative influencer promoting the patriarchy and the manosphere. He’s a pimp, trying to avoid the consequences of being a pimp,” Whitlock declared on Monday. “And somehow, he’s a respected member of the conservative influencer community. I’m baffled by it, but I’m really not.”
Describing Anora as a “porno,” Whitlock went on to claim that while conservatives are outraged by “an X-rated film” winning five Academy Awards, they are still defending Tate. “We say we’re anti-pornography, then have sympathy for the pornographer,” he added.
“I was offended by Anora. It’s everything wrong with American culture,” he further tweeted. “I’m equally offended by this press tour Andrew Tate is about to go on in America. He comes here expecting a warm welcome and we give it to him. Why? Nobody should care about what he has to say.”
Whitlock would continue to criticize Tate and his defenders the following day, calling him “an idiot who talked about all his pimping and exploitation of women on camera.” He also said that the blowback that Tate is now receiving from being a “disruptor” is what “comes with it.” However, by Wednesday, Whitlock’s tone had noticeably changed.
“If we, as Christian men, were doing our job, Andrew Tate wouldn’t be necessary,” he noted on his podcast. “We’ve been afraid to make enemies of people controlling strings, and Andrew Tate isn’t. He’s willing to say things that powerful people don’t like.”
“Andrew Tate is going to continue to be necessary to win this information war,” Whitlock added. “It’s our mindset as Christian evangelicals that just want to protect what we hold dear that will allow Western Civilization to get destroyed. We have to be willing to have the conversations that Tate is having.”
Conservative columnist Josh Hammer took Whitlock to task for quickly reversing course, sharing screenshots of Whitlock’s social media posts that were polar opposites of each other. “These things do not contradict. But I get that people need to pretend they do or they’re too lazy to seek the full context. Hope you get the traction you’re looking for, Josh,” Whitlock responded.
“They absolutely do contradict, actually. But I’m curious how your bank account changed in those two days!” Hammer fired back. Other right-wing media personalities also criticized Whitlock for reversing course and seemingly advocating for Tate now.
“Western Civilization is going to be destroyed by Christians not embracing a terrorist-supporting Muslim pimp and pornographer who teaches young men to trade in human flesh and to reject marriage is quite a take,” Daily Wire CEO Jeremy Boreing posted. “But Jason lost the thread a long time ago.”
Perhaps notably, on the same day that Whitlock delivered his pointed critique of Tate while labeling him a “pimp,” the influencer appeared on the conservative podcaster Patrick Bet-David’s popular show and lambasted his right-wing critics.
