A South Florida leader of the Proud Boys responded with enthusiasm and pride when President Donald Trump told the organization known for its right wing views to “stand by” during a debate with former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday night.
“Standing by sir,” replied Henry “Enrique” Tarrio on Parler, a social networking service launched in 2018 that is popular among conservatives.
Tarrio, 36, refers to himself as the chairman of the organization on Parler. He also has previously identified himself as a leader of the South Florida chapter, one of six chapters in the state, according to the Proud Boys website.
Tarrio’s comments came moments after an exchange between President Trump and debate moderator Chris Wallace.
Wallace said Trump had criticized Biden for not calling out Antifa and other left-wing extremist groups for violence in recent protests across the country. Then he asked Trump to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and say that “they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities.”
President Trump said he was “willing to do that” before pivoting to respond that the violence in cities across the country is not the fault of those groups. “Almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing.” Later in the exchange, when pressed to make a statement, Trump asked: “Who would you like me to condemn?”
Biden then chimed in, “Proud Boys.”
“Proud Boys, stand back and stand by,” Trump said.
Trump’s words were interpreted by many as a ringing endorsement of the group, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated as a hate group due to its members’ “anti-Muslim” and “misogynistic” rhetoric.
According to the SPLC, members spout white nationalist sentiments and have appeared at “extremist” gatherings such as the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.
On Twitter, Tarrio’s tone was more muted and he said Trump’s words were not a “direct endorsement” of the organization. He also pushed back on the notion that the organization has white supremacist views.
On their website, the Proud Boys boast chapters across the country and describes themselves as “Western Chauvinists.”
“If you are a man and you know that the west is the best, then you can join The Proud Boys,” the website reads.
The total number of members of the group is unknown, but the Anti-Defamation League estimates that there are “several hundred” Proud Boys members around the country.
According to the SPLC, the group was founded in 2016. It is unclear when Tarrio joined the group.
In 2019, Tarrio threw his hat in the ring as a Republican challenger to Democratic U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala’s 27th congressional district seat in Florida.
After raising less than $2,000 in campaign funds, according campaign finance records, he dropped out of the race before the August primary.
In a Ballotpedia survey he filled out before ending his run for Congress, Tarrio said he was born in Miami to Cuban-American parents and owns several small businesses in the security and surveillance industry. At the time, he was also a state director in Florida for Latinos for Trump and an organizer of political events.
He said he studied at Miami Dade College and the University of Miami. According to public records, he continues to live in Miami-Dade County.
According to public records, Tarrio also has a history in the courts that includes theft charges. In 2013, he was also sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for re-branding stolen medical devices and reselling them across state lines, according to federal records.
Tarrio could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Andrew Boryga can be reached at 954-356-4533 or aboryga@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Twitter @borywrites.
