Graham Platner, the Maine Democrat running for U.S. Senate, has drawn renewed criticism after archived Reddit posts surfaced containing explicit remarks about a military veteran. The posts, originally posted under the account “P-Hustle” that Platner confirmed as his own, include comments from June 2019 describing a viral video of Pfc. Ted Daniels—a soldier who earned a Purple Heart in a 2012 firefight with the Taliban—using language deemed derogatory and offensive.
In one deleted post, Platner wrote: “Dumb motherfucker didn’t deserve to live.” He later added: “At least his stupidity and fat ass wheezing are available for all future infantrymen to witness and hold in contempt” and “Poor marksmanship on the Taliban’s part is the only reason this mouthbreather made it home.”
Platner, who became the Democrats’ presumptive nominee after Maine Governor Janet Mills dropped her campaign in April, expressed regret in October 2025 over a tattoo depicting Nazi symbolism, stating he had no awareness of its historical association. His campaign did not respond to inquiries about the recent revelations.