UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson talks up US State Department visit

Robinson is notorious in the UK where he has been accused of promoting hatred against Muslims and organising mass anti-migrant protests.Published On 26 Feb 2026British far-right activist Tommy Robinson says he visited the United States Department of State as part of a recent trip to Washington, DC, where he was welcomed by government officials and supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.“In America making alliances & friendships, today I had the privilege of an invite to the @StateDept,” Robinson posted on X on Wednesday, alongside a photo of himself next to a US flag.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Iran, US set to hold talks as Trump threatens force, imposes sanctionslist 2 of 4Former US F-35 fighter pilot arrested for training Chinese air forcelist 3 of 4Six seats, big goals: What’s next for Bangladesh’s student-led NCP party?list 4 of 4Trump says lawmakers Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib should be removed from USend of listRobinson is a household name in the UK, notorious for his anti-Muslim rhetoric and multiple prison terms. He was also a cofounder of the now-defunct far-right English Defence League – a street protest movement.US State Department official Joe Rittenhouse, who is a senior adviser for the department’s Consular Affairs bureau, said he met with Robinson, calling him a “free speech warrior”.“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!” Rittenhouse said in an X post.Rittenhouse posted photos of what appeared to be Robinson touring the State Department.The State Department did not answer questions from the Reuters news agency on who else Robinson met, what was discussed and what the objective of his visit was.A representative for the United Kingdom’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has become an icon for British nationalists and one of the UK’s most high-profile anti-migration campaigners, organising a large rally last September in London attended by about 150,000 people.Social media posts show that during his trip to Washington, Robinson also met far-right US influencer Jack Posobiec and filmed a video with Congressman Randy Fine, a Republican from Florida, who has a history of anti-Muslim rhetoric. Robinson said on X that he will next travel to Florida.