Controversial Tattoo and Past Comments Surface for Senate Candidate Graham Platner
Graham Platner, a Marine veteran running for the U.S. Senate in Maine, admitted to being “very inebriated” when he got a tattoo related to Nazi imagery during a vacation in Croatia nearly two decades ago. He emphasized that he is “not a secret Nazi.”
The 41-year-old candidate decided to showcase his controversial skull tattoo during a video he posted of himself singing in just his briefs at his brother’s wedding. In an effort to get ahead of any negative press, he shared the backstory of the tattoo, which resembles the “Totenkopf” symbol associated with Hitler’s Schutzstaffel (SS) from a getaway in 2007 with fellow Marines.
“We got really drunk and thought we should do what the Freedom Marines do—get tattoos,” he explained, referencing the spur-of-the-moment decision, which he later reflected on during an appearance on a podcast.
“We thought a scary-looking skull and bones would be fitting because, you know, skulls and bones are pretty standard in the military. So we went ahead with it, then moved on,” he said.
Platner also faced criticism when old Reddit posts resurfaced that contained derogatory comments about police officers and rural white Americans. He had referred to himself as a “communist” around 2021, commenting on various societal issues.
Attempting to contextualize his past posts, he claimed he was trying to connect with online communities at a time of personal disillusionment and anger. He expressed regret over asking why black people don’t tip, claiming it was a sincere inquiry, and he now wishes he had handled certain comments about sexual assault survivors differently.
He attributed his offensive remarks to struggles with mental health challenges, including PTSD, after leaving the military.
In a recent social media post, he offered an apology for any offense his previous content may have caused: “I apologize to anyone who has read this content and seen someone they do not recognize.”
As he seeks the Democratic nomination next year, Platner must contend with Maine Governor Janet Mills, who is also running for the Senate seat currently held by Republican Susan Collins. Despite the backlash regarding his past, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has reportedly expressed ongoing support for newcomers in politics.
