The far-right activist Tommy Robinson has been hosted by the Trump administration for a meeting at the state department in Washington. Robinson, 43, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was hosted by Joe Rittenhouse, a senior adviser at the state department.
Rittenhouse wrote on X: “Honoured to have free speech warrior @TRobinsonNewEra at Department of State today. The world and the West is a better place when we fight for freedom of speech and no one has been on the front lines more than Tommy. Good to see you my friend!” Robinson, who has convictions for assault, using a fake passport, mortgage fraud and contempt of court, wrote on X: “In America making alliances & friendships, today I had the privilege of an invite to the @StateDept.”
A state department spokesperson said Robinson visited “in an unofficial capacity on a tour today”, without providing details on who else he met or what was discussed. Photographs posted by Rittenhouse show Robinson examining objects in the John Quincy Adams state drawing room.
Earlier this month, Robinson said he left the UK after police warned him that he was named in an Islamic State publication encouraging violence against him. In November, he was cleared of a terror-related offence over a refusal to give police access to his phone during a border stop. He thanked US tech billionaire Elon Musk for funding his legal costs.
Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman called the meeting “deeply alarming”, saying: “This is a man who has built his profile on division, racism and Islamophobia… so it’s perhaps no surprise that Donald Trump’s White House are among his fans.” She added: “Instead of rolling out the red carpet for extremists, we should be rolling out legislation that ensures we work together internationally to tackle hate, defend human rights and build inclusive democracies that protect everyone.”
