It’s a trick question. Sorta.
If you’re looking for a single name to pin on a lapel and say, "That’s the guy," you’re about three years too late. The Proud Boys aren’t a monolith anymore. They aren't the centralized, top-down organization that marched through the streets in matching Fred Perry polos during the Trump era. Today, the question of who is the leader of the Proud Boys depends entirely on which city you’re standing in and which courtroom records you’re reading.
The group is shattered.
The Enrique Tarrio Era and the Fall of the Chairman
For a long time, the answer was easy: Enrique Tarrio.
Tarrio wasn't just a figurehead; he was the face of the franchise. He was the media-savvy strategist who knew exactly how to trigger a news cycle. But everything changed after January 6, 2021. Even though Tarrio wasn't actually at the Capitol that day—he’d been arrested two days prior for burning a Black Lives Matter banner and ordered to leave D.C.—the Department of Justice viewed him as the "street general" behind the curtain.
In 2023, the legal hammer finally fell. Hard.
Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for seditious conspiracy. That is a massive sentence. It’s the kind of sentence that doesn't just remove a leader; it guts the leadership structure of an entire movement. When Tarrio went behind bars, the "Chairman" role basically dissolved. There was no clear successor waiting in the wings because, honestly, who wants to inherit a title that carries a two-decade prison risk?
The Rise of the "Elder" System and Regional Factions
So, what happened next?
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The Proud Boys didn't just vanish into thin air. Instead, they went back to their roots—which were always a bit more chaotic and decentralized than the media portrayed. Historically, the group was governed by a "National Elder Council." This was a group of long-time members who made the big decisions. But after the federal crackdowns and the internal bickering over Tarrio’s leadership (and his past as a government informant, which caused a huge rift), the national structure buckled.
Now, the "leader" is usually just the president of a local chapter.
You have chapters in Florida that don't talk to chapters in Oregon. You have the "Portland Proud Boys" acting as their own entity, often led by figures like Kim Gullion or others who have stepped up in the vacuum left by Joseph Biggs and Ethan Nordean. Biggs and Nordean, like Tarrio, are currently serving lengthy prison sentences—17 and 18 years, respectively.
Why the Decentralization Matters
It’s actually more dangerous in some ways. When you have a central leader, the FBI knows exactly whose phone to wiretap. When the group breaks into forty different pieces, it becomes a game of whack-a-mole.
- Local autonomy: Chapters now run their own recruitment.
- Varying ideologies: Some chapters focus on local school board protests; others stay focused on "Western Chauvinism" and street brawls.
- Funding issues: Without a central hub, the massive legal fees have drained the group’s collective resources.
The Ghost of Gavin McInnes
We can't talk about who is the leader of the Proud Boys without mentioning the man who started the whole mess: Gavin McInnes.
The Vice Media co-founder created the group in 2016 as a "pro-West" men's club. It was supposed to be about jokes, beer, and "venerating the housewife." Obviously, it spiraled. McInnes "officially" quit the group in 2018, likely on the advice of his lawyers after the infamous brawl outside the Metropolitan Republican Club in New York.
Does he still lead them? Not officially.
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But he still holds massive sway. He’s the spiritual godfather. His videos and podcasts still dictate the "culture" of the group. If McInnes says a certain person is a "loser" or a "fed," that person is effectively ousted from the community. He’s a leader without a title, a king in exile who still controls the vibe from a distance.
The Legal Aftermath and the "Seditious" Label
The courts have done more to define the current leadership than the members themselves.
The 2023 trials were a turning point. When the DOJ successfully argued that the Proud Boys' leadership engaged in seditious conspiracy—meaning they plotted to oppose the lawful transfer of power by force—it effectively criminalized the upper echelon of the organization.
Anyone currently claiming to be a "National Leader" is essentially putting a bullseye on their back for federal investigators. Because of this, the current "leadership" is intentionally quiet. They communicate through encrypted apps like Telegram. They use pseudonyms. They don't give interviews to the New York Times anymore.
Misconceptions About the Current Hierarchy
People often think there's a secret commander hidden in a bunker somewhere. There isn't.
What we’re seeing now is a shift toward "leaderless resistance." This is a concept where small cells act independently but toward a shared goal. It’s much harder to prosecute. If a Proud Boy in Ohio does something illegal, it’s much harder to link it to a Proud Boy in Texas if there is no formal chain of command connecting them.
Many chapters have even dropped the "Proud Boy" name to avoid the scrutiny of the "terrorist entity" designation used by countries like Canada and New Zealand. They might call themselves "The Iron Order" or "Western Supporters" or some other generic name, while still practicing the same rituals and holding the same beliefs.
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Real-World Examples of Local Power
Look at the Pacific Northwest. For years, the leadership there was synonymous with names like "Tiny" Toese. Toese has spent a significant amount of time in and out of jail. When he’s out, he’s the de facto leader of the streets. When he’s in, someone else takes the megaphone.
It’s a revolving door.
In Florida, the leadership often overlaps with local GOP politics. Some members have even won seats on local Republican executive committees. This is a different kind of leadership—not "street fighting" leadership, but political infiltration.
What This Means for the Future
The Proud Boys are in a state of evolution. The era of the "Chairman" is dead. The era of the "Chapter President" is here.
If you are tracking this group, don't look for a single headquarters. Look for the Telegram channels. Look for the local bar where the meeting happens. Look for the individuals who are organizing the "defense" of drag queen story hours or protesting at city council meetings.
The leadership is now a collection of small-scale influencers rather than one central dictator.
Actionable Insights for Tracking Extremism
To stay informed on the current state of the group's hierarchy and activities, follow these steps:
- Monitor Court Records: The most accurate information about who is actually calling the shots often comes from federal indictments and sentencing memos. The "Evidence" sections in the Tarrio and Nordean trials are gold mines for understanding how they communicate.
- Follow Independent Researchers: Groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) track local chapter shifts in real-time. They are often faster than mainstream news at identifying new regional leaders.
- Telegram is the Hub: If you want to see who is actually "leading" conversations, you have to look at the "Proud Boys Uncensored" channels and their various spin-offs. Pay attention to who is "admin" in these groups.
- Local Over National: Ignore the "National" headlines. Pay attention to your local municipal news. That’s where the actual leadership of the group is currently manifesting—in local school boards and community protests.
The Proud Boys aren't gone, they've just gone local. Understanding that is the only way to answer the question of who is actually in charge.