Pride Before the Fall
A closer look at what influence groups like the Proud Boys hold in the Trump Regime
“There’s no reason to protest things. We’ve kind of gotten what we wanted. The culture has shifted right.” -Enrico Tarrio, Proud Boys Leader
Hunter Walker of Talking Points Memo has written a deep dive into the current state of affairs for the Proud Boys, since Trump’s reelection. As a reminder, several leaders and members of the January 6 insurrection were associated with the Proud Boys, including four members who were tried and found guilty of seditious conspiracy against the United States. Trump has, of course, pardoned nearly all of them, and leaders Gavin McInnes and Enrico Tarrio have had their Twitter accounts restored online.
Both McInnes and Tarrio were interviewed for the article, and I was struck by their candor, with both men clearly treating the piece as a victory lap. They were cagey about the group’s leadership structure but open about their vision and mission: still very much wanting to be foot soldiers for the MAGA movement, but with mainstream political ambitions as well. Both men bragged about their proximity to Trump and Elon Musk, with Tarrio expecting the group to actively support the presidential nominee in 2028, whoever that may be.
A complete takeover of the Republican Party has been the goal of the Proud Boys and similar far-right groups since Trump first ran for office. They’ve succeeded through a combination of electoral, social and financial power, and crucially -- the threat of violence against any and all opposition. It’s worth noting that Republican elected officials face the same threats of violence as their counterparts on the left, from the same groups and communities. I’m sure any Republican elected, no matter how MAGA adjacent they consider themselves, fully understands the cost of opposing the Trump Regime. Which is partly why there are fewer defections than we saw during Trump’s first term.
Donald Trump knows the value of having the Proud Boys and its muscle as part of his coalition. In addition to the pardons, he’s consistently refused to denounce the Proud Boys and famously instructed them to “stand back and stand by” during a 2020 presidential debate. The TPM article notes that Tarrio recently met Trump at Mar-A-Lago.
The mob now runs the Republican party, and because Republicans have a majority, the mob now runs the U.S. government. As a result, the things that should be disqualifiers for serving the public or working on a political campaign, threats of violence or racist misogynist online messages, no longer are. This week, Politico broke the story of leaked Telegram Channels where leaders of Young Republican groups traded thousands of messages about “gas chambers, slavery and rape.“ To me the only shocking thing about the story is that anyone was still surprised by it. This is who the current Republican leadership is. Not only is there no cost for this kind of behavior, but the MAGA Republican Party rewards it. None other than Vice President JD Vance brushed it off by saying, “That’s what kids do.”
It’s worth emphasizing that the MAGA movement doesn’t want freedom of speech. They want the freedom to say whatever they like and harm whoever they like without consequence. They also believe it’s their right to punish any and all dissent, something we’ve seen with the collective reaction to Charlie Kirk’s murder, and attempts to punish anyone who might say a word against their new martyr.
There’s some speculation in Walker’s article about what comes next for the Proud Boys, especially as some groups have begun to splinter off from the main organization because of infighting. Personally, I see membership becoming more integrated with the Trump Regime. From rank and file members working as ICE Agents to leadership running for office or serving in the Administration -- all things made easier by the fact that the behavior and beliefs that the Proud Boys are known for is now a form of social capital rather than a disqualification. I can’t tell you what the group’s makeup or structure will be in a few years, but no matter how it expands or contracts, the Proud Boys’ influence will continue to impact us all.
ICYMI
What Made Blogging Different? (Talking Points Memo) This piece from Elizabeth Spiers made me nostalgic for the early days of blogging. As well as Gawker’s heyday.
Instagram Promised to Become Safer For Teens. Researchers Say It’s Not Working. (Time) Depressing and also not at all surprising given Meta’s history.
The Surveillance Empire That Tracked World Leaders, a Vatican Enemy, and Maybe You (Mother Jones) This is quite a disturbing read. Be sure to watch the accompanying video too.
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Coda
Thanks to each and every one of you who attended a No Kings event yesterday. It always lifts my spirits to see so many Americans come together in solidarity,showing up for our families and our communities. And it’s a good reminder to all of us that we’re not alone in the fight for a better future.
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That’s all for this week. We’ll talk again next Sunday!
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