A senior official in Trump’s government has been criticised for hailing Robinson as "a free speech warrior"
MPs have condemned Donald Trump’s administration for hosting far-right anti-Islam campaigner Tommy Robinson at the US Department of State.
Joe Rittenhouse, senior advisor at Trump’s State Department, which oversees foreign policy, posted a selfie with Stephen Yaxley-Lennon on Wednesday.
In the post on X, Rittenhouse wrote: “Honored 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 also met with Florida Republican Congressman Randy Fine, and also met far-right US influencer and conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec.
MPs have condemned the Trump administration’s decision to host Yaxley-Lennon.
Emily Thornberry, chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, said: “Yaxley-Lennon is being touted around Washington as a ‘free speech warrior’. We need to engage this administration on the difference between that and incitement to violence and racial hatred. There should be no place in any democracy for the latter.”
The Lib Dem’s foreign affairs spokesperson Calum Miller MP told The Guardian that the US government hosting Robinson should be “a wake-up call”.
“The government needs to include the US in their inquiry into foreign interference in UK politics,” he said, referring to the government’s independent review into foreign financial interference in UK politics.
“We cannot stand by while the likes of Trump and Musk meddle in our democracy.”
Robinson’s visit has also raised questions about how the far-right activist was allowed to enter the US, given he has several criminal convictions. Robinson was convicted for fraud, violence, drug possession and attempting to enter the US in 2012 using a false passport.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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