On Wednesday, the Miami Proud Boy and other pardoned January 6 defendants were booted from the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. The organization later appeared to reverse its decision, allowing a handful of those who were banished, including Tarrio, to reenter the event the following day.
But things only went downhill from there for the prominent far-right figure, who was released from federal prison last month after President Donald Trump pardoned him and dozens of other January 6 defendants. Tarrio had served less than two years of his 22-year sentence for seditious conspiracy and other charges related to his role in the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot.
Here's a look back at Tarrio's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad weekend in the Washington metro area:
Kicked Out of CPAC
On Wednesday, Tarrio was seen on video being escorted out of the annual political conference for conservatives by security personnel.He told New Times that he was kicked out "because of who I am."
The following morning, CPAC swiftly took to social media to rebut the claims that January 6 defendants were being booted from the event.
"It is untrue that we are not allowing people to come to CPAC because of their involvement with J6," CPAC wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "In fact, CPAC has been a constant supporter of this persecuted community and we support wholeheartedly President Trump's pardons of the J6 victims. The registration link is active and tickets will be sold out very soon."
Hours later, Tarrio and other January 6 defendants, including Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and fellow Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola, promptly gained reentry to the conference.It is untrue that we are not allowing people to come to CPAC because of their involvement with J6. In fact, CPAC has been a constant supporter of this persecuted community and we support wholeheartedly President Trump’s pardons of the J6 victims. The registration link is active…
— CPAC (@CPAC) February 20, 2025
"Boom," Tarrio wrote in a post on X, alongside a photo of his credentials.
Boom. pic.twitter.com/hBNJV5kozk
— Enrique Tarrio (@NobleOne) February 20, 2025
Arrested for Assault
On Friday, Tarrio was arrested outside the U.S. Capitol and charged with assaulting a female protester. According to reporters at the scene, Tarrio swatted the phone out of the hand of a woman who had been "heckling" him.Tarrio was holding a press conference outside the Capitol alongside Rhodes and other pardoned January 6 defendants when the group dispersed. Tarrio then began walking toward Union Station and stopped to speak with a photojournalist, according to WUSA 9, a D.C.-based news outlet.
"As that conversation was occurring, Tarrio was approached by one of the protesters who had been shouting and blowing a whistle during the rally," WUSA 9 reported. "As she moved toward him with her phone outstretched, Tarrio swiped at it, knocking it to the ground."
Tarrio was charged with simple assault, a type of misdemeanor..@wusa9 reporter @JordanOnRecord was there when Capitol Police arrested former Proud Boys National Chairman Enrique Tarrio near the U.S. Capitol. FULL STORY: https://t.co/Vdw2rutusY pic.twitter.com/vS2lxkWUGI
— Troy Pope (@troycpope) February 21, 2025
In a statement, U.S. Capitol Police wrote that "our officers witnessed a woman (a counter protester) put a cell phone close to a man's face" while they were both walking. "Then the officers witnessed the man strike the woman's phone and arm," the statement said.
Tarrio has told reporters that he believes the charges may be dropped.
Bomb Threat Accusations
On Sunday, a conference of anti-Trump conservatives in D.C. evacuated after receiving what officials with the organization deemed a "credible bomb threat." Organizers of the Principles First summit said they received the threat from an account claiming to be "Enrique T," noting in a social media post that Tarrio had attended the summit and "harassed" U.S. Capitol Police officers who were speaking.
"The email we received containing the credible bomb threat is from 'Enrique T.' But we do not have definitive proof of the email's origin at this time and so cannot say with certainty who sent the email," the group wrote on X. "A full investigation is underway and we are cooperating with those authorities. We continue to take this threat very seriously."
Former CNN reporter Jim Acosta shared a photo of the alleged bomb threat to X, which named business mogul Mark Cuban, retired Capitol Police officer Michael Fanone, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, all of whom the author said "deserve to die."To confirm: The email we received containing the credible bomb threat is from “Enrique T.” but we do not have definitive proof of the email’s origin at this time and so cannot say with certainty who sent the email. A full investigation is underway and we are cooperating with…
— Principles First (@Principles_1st) February 23, 2025
Tarrio has denied any involvement with the threat.Here is the bomb threat at the Principles First summit in DC. I’m told by a source familiar with the situation this is the threat below (see email attached). It mentions Michael Fanone and his mother as well as other attendees at the conference. pic.twitter.com/oKoBOqoMVB
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 23, 2025
"I would never do this," he wrote in a post on X.
On Saturday, the day before the threat was made, Tarrio showed up to the Principles First conference and confronted Fanone and former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, who also helped defend the Capitol during the January 6 attack.
As shown in videos posted online, Tarrio called Fanone and Dunn "cowards" as he and a group of his supporters followed the two through a D.C. hotel.
"You're a traitor to this country," Fanone responded to Tarrio.Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio—released last month after Trump pardoned him along with 1,500 other Jan. 6 rioters—confronted ex-Capitol police officer Michael Fanone, who was injured defending the Capitol from criminals like Tarrio.
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) February 23, 2025
Fanone: “You are a fuc*ing traitor to… pic.twitter.com/HKGXVJzgnq
Fanone and Dunn — both both vocal critics of the January 6 rioters — testified before the House select committee that investigated the Capitol attack and efforts to prevent the certification of the 2020 presidential election.
