Democrat Candidate Slammed For Calling Purple Heart Recipient ‘Dumb Motherf***er’ Who Didn’t ‘Deserve To Live’

The stories of troubling past comments and behavior keep surfacing in the campaign of US Senate candidate Graham Platner, a Democrat from Maine.

After an initial controversy surrounding a tattoo that appeared to depict Nazi symbolism, he attracted backlash for unearthed explicit Reddit posts that many described as disturbing.

Now, more of his previous online musings are coming to light, and these are particularly objectionable, as Breitbart reported:

“This video never gets old,” Platner wrote in a June 2019 Reddit post, referring to a viral video featuring Pfc. Ted Daniels in a 2012 firefight with the Taliban, which resulted in the soldier being shot four times and earning a Purple Heart for his injuries.

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“Dumb motherfucker didn’t deserve to live,” the Democrat Senate hopeful — whose archived Reddit rants can be found on the Maine Monitor’s database — said in his since-deleted post.

Platner went on to write, “At least his stupidity and fat ass wheezing are available for all future infantrymen to witness and hold in contempt.”

“Poor marksmanship on the Taliban’s part is the only reason this mouthbreather made it home, he managed to make every possible shit decision possible when it comes to small unit combat,” Platner added.

The unearthed posts come from a deleted, but archived, Reddit account known as “P-Hustle,” which Platner previously acknowledged was his.

His comments received widespread opprobrium and speculation on social media:

A Senate candidate wrote that a soldier shot four times by the Taliban "didn't deserve to live." This is who Maine Democrats put on the ballot. Remember that in November.

— Commentary: Rush Limbaugh News (@ElRushboNews) May 20, 2026

Ever think the democrats want to keep Collins in there, that's why they run this pos against her .

— chip (@chipster442415) May 20, 2026

Sounds like the ideal contemporary Democrat candidate.

— Bonnie & Stephen (@bonnewillbonne) May 20, 2026

The Daily Caller also reported on his gone-but-not-forgotten posts:

Platner became the Democrats’ presumptive nominee after Maine Gov. Janet Mills ended her campaign in April as she trailed behind Platner in the polls. He received endorsements from independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

In October 2025, Platner expressed regret over a tattoo of a Nazi symbol and covered it up. He said he got the tattoo two decades ago and had no idea it had a link to Nazis.

Platner’s campaign did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

Here’s some additional coverage of the latest development:

Maine Dem Senate candidate Graham Platner just got caught mocking a wounded Purple Heart hero, literally wishing the Taliban had finished the job.

He Said

“Dumb motherfucker didn’t deserve to live… poor marksmanship on the Taliban’s part is the only reason this mouth breather… pic.twitter.com/5wVs6mSfbb

— D. Scott @eclipsethis2003 (@eclipsethis2003) May 20, 2026