Controversy continues to mount around Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, as newly resurfaced online activity draws fresh criticism. According to Mediaite, archived posts linked to a now-deleted Reddit account appear to show Platner praising a Hamas operation that resulted in the deaths of at least five Israeli soldiers.
The discussion stemmed from a graphic video titled “Helmet Footage from Hamas cross-border raid,” which depicted a 2014 attack on Israeli forces. Commenting in the r/CombatFootage forum, Platner characterized the mission as tactically effective. “Looks like an all around well executed and successful small unit raid to me,” he reportedly wrote in response to the footage.
When another user challenged the depiction, calling it an “execution,” Platner pushed back, framing the violence as consistent with military norms. He argued that such raids are designed to “inflict casualties and take prisoners in a short period of time,” adding that he saw little issue with killing an enemy combatant if capture proved unfeasible. From what he described as a “strictly professional standpoint,” he concluded that “this was a damn fine looking and successful raid against a superior opponent, I dig it.”
These comments are the latest in a string of controversies that have plagued Platner’s campaign. Previous backlash erupted over a tattoo of a Totenkopf, a symbol historically associated with German military units, including Nazi SS forces.
Platner, speaking to NBC News, acknowledged he expected criticism over his past online remarks but said he was surprised by the reaction to the tattoo. He noted he has had the design for two decades and that it had not raised concerns during prior security clearances. Emphasizing that the symbol does not reflect his beliefs, he said he has “spent my entire life essentially hating Nazis” and confirmed he is currently having the tattoo removed.
Further complicating his candidacy, Platner has faced scrutiny for additional past statements and actions. According to Mediaite, these include deleting a post that promoted neo-Nazi figure Stew Peters, making remarks interpreted as suggesting rape victims share some responsibility for their safety, and defending a U.S. Marine involved in a widely condemned incident in which a Marine urinated on dead soldiers.