WASHINGTON — Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys, recently revealed a meeting with Donald Trump in Florida, following Trump’s earlier pardon of him related to charges stemming from the January 6, 2021 Capitol disturbance.
Tarrio shared news of the encounter via his social media platform, expressing his surprise and honor at meeting the former president.
On Sunday morning, Tarrio described the meeting as a moment he could never have imagined during challenging times.
He also mentioned being at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s club, where a friendly conversation took place after Trump called him and his mother over during a dinner occasion.
A White House official characterized the meeting as coincidental rather than orchestrated.
Tarrio, who was there with someone who introduced him to Trump, exchanged brief words with the president before Trump proceeded with his dinner plans.
This account was shared under anonymity due to the private nature of the encounter.
Tarrio did respond to inquiries regarding the meeting.
Previously convicted by a federal jury for seditious conspiracy in a plot aimed at keeping Trump in power after his electoral defeat in 2020, Tarrio was serving a significant sentence until Trump’s pardon.
He was incarcerated for about three years out of a 22-year sentence, marking it as one of the lengthiest associated with the Capitol riot.
Although Tarrio was not physically present in Washington, D.C., during the incident, prosecutors emphasized his role in orchestrating the Proud Boys’ involvement from afar.
Trump’s defense of his clemency decisions upon returning to office is notable.
He pardoned around 1,500 individuals tied to the Capitol events and hinted at potential future roles for extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, whose leaders faced charges of seditious conspiracy.
Preceding the Capitol event, the Proud Boys gained notoriety for confrontations with anti-fascist groups.
This notoriety was further highlighted when Trump, in a debate with then-candidate Biden in 2020, instructed the group to “stand back and stand by.” The meeting between Tarrio and Trump highlights the continuing discourse around extremism and clemency in the political landscape.