A notable Democrat, who has been vocal against Army Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Crusader symbol tattoo, has stayed silent regarding a progressive Senate candidate, Graham Platner, of Maine, who has a Nazi symbol tattooed on his chest.
Senators Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois have both criticized Hegseth’s tattoos, which include the Cross of Jerusalem and the Latin phrase “Deus Vult,” associated with the Crusades.
After these criticisms, Fox News Digital reached out to Warren and Duckworth for their thoughts on Platner’s controversial tattoo of the Nazi “Totenkopf” symbol. Warren has shown support for Platner, expressing excitement for new candidates in the Senate race, particularly those who advocate for marginalized voices.
Fox News also inquired whether Warren and Duckworth would address Platner’s tattoo or suggest he withdraw from the race, but they did not respond promptly.
During Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, Warren raised alarms about his “Deus Vult” tattoo, stressing that it had been reported as a potential insider threat and was linked to right-wing extremism. She emphasized that a Secretary of Defense should not raise such concerns among military peers.
Hegseth has faced ongoing scrutiny regarding his tattoos since taking office. In a June hearing, Duckworth noted her own military experiences, commenting on the decisions soldiers make outside of duty, implying that she avoided questionable tattoos.
Platner, a Marine Corps veteran and progressive backed by Senator Bernie Sanders, has faced backlash for his tattoo, which resembles a symbol used by Hitler’s SS. He later stated that he got the tattoo impulsively during a night out in Croatia in 2007, unaware of its meaning, and later covered it with a tattoo of a dog.
In a recent Instagram video, Platner explained that the design was selected in a lighthearted moment with fellow Marines, expressing regret for not understanding its implications at the time.
He asserted his lifelong commitment to anti-fascism, anti-racism, and anti-Nazism, and expressed shock at how closely the tattoo matched a symbol of hate.
A spokesperson for Sanders mentioned that he wasn’t particularly interested in media scrutiny of Platner’s tattoo, suggesting there were more pressing issues at hand. Sanders personally considers Platner a strong candidate and looks forward to him potentially representing Maine in the Senate.
Fox News Digital reached out to Sanders and Platner’s campaigns for comments, but did not receive an immediate response.
