Executive Summary

The Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group in the US, are reinvigorated by the re-election of President Donald Trump and the pardons he issued to its participants in the January 6 mob action at the US Capitol. This fits a broader trend among domestic extremist groups in the US, with recruitment efforts and confidence bolstered since the inauguration. The group has over 150 chapters domestically, an increasingly international reach, and shows no sign of slowing down. Its Telegram channels are as active as ever, and–going back to the time of Trump’s campaign for a second term, with promises to pardon its members caught up in the January 6th incident–it has projected a posture of being ready to mobilize.

Similar groups have sought political legitimacy in the past. Yet, the Proud Boys seem to be fractured, and President Trump is not too eager to publicly welcome them in a political capacity. Largely considered a domestic extremist group, and terrorist by certain foreign powers, their transition to a political entity remains unlikely. The most pressing concern is the rhetoric of vengeance, which followed the pardons. Key figures such as Enrique Tarrio openly mention retribution and fuel fear of targeted violence.  

Images Sourced From: Anthony Crider