Tommy Robinson has been hosted by the Trump administration for a meeting at the US state department in Washington.
Posting on social media platform X, the far-right agitator, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, said he was in America “making alliances and friendships”, adding he had “had the privilege of an invite to the @StateDept”.
Robinson, who has convictions for using a fake passport, stalking and contempt of court, was pictured with Joe Rittenhouse, a senior adviser at the state department.
Mr Rittenhouse wrote on X: “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!”
The visit appeared to be the latest example of the Trump administration’s promotion of “free speech” in countries where it claimed politicians had stifled voices online.
In December, it denied visas for two Britons campaigning against misinformation online who US secretary of state Marco Rubio accused of helping lead “organised efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetise, and suppress American viewpoints they oppose”.
Donald Trump has also been critical of the UK over free speech issues.
In response to one person on X writing “this is not normal”, Robinson wrote: “It’s the new normal when America has an administration that believes in free speech, doesn’t mean they agree with everything I’ve ever said it they believe in my right to say it.”
The US visit comes six years after Robinson failed in an attempt to visit Washington to give a speech on Capitol Hill, after his visa was not granted in time.
Last Thursday, however, he posted a video of him in America, saying: “I’m in the United States of America, you see how happy I am? It’s been a long time coming, I’ve dreamed about this moment for so long.”
It comes just weeks after Robinson claimed to have left the UK for his safety after being named in a so-called Islamic State publication that encouraged others to commit violence against him.
Last year, Robinson organised a Unite the Kingdom rally in central London, attracting up to 150,000 people, in what was throught to be the largest nationalist event in decades. At the event, Elon Musk, the owner of X, gave a speech via a video link.
Mr Musk had months earlier called for the release of Robinson, who was serving a prison term for repeating libellous claims against Syrian refugee.
Robinson founded the English Defence League in 2009, before standing down four years later.
Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman told The National the Trump administration welcoming Robinson would be “deeply alarming”.
She said: “When communities across the UK are facing rising levels of hate crime and far-right extremism, the idea that figures like Robinson are being treated as legitimate political actors by what are supposed to be our international allies, should concern us all.”
