Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner said Wednesday that a tattoo on his chest resembling a Nazi-era symbol has been covered with a new design. Platner, a former Marine and first-time candidate, had said that he got the tattoo in 2007 while stationed in the Marine Corps and on leave in Croatia, unaware of its connection to Nazi Germany.
Platner explained in an interview with the Associated Press that he originally intended to remove the tattoo but chose to cover it instead, citing limited tattoo removal options near his home in rural Maine. “Going to a tattoo removal place is going to take a while,” he said. “I wanted this thing off my body.”
The initial image, a skull and crossbones, resembled the “Totenkopf,” or “Death’s Head” symbol, worn by Hitler’s Schutzstaffel (SS), the paramilitary organization responsible for the murder of millions during the Holocaust. Platner said he would share a photo of the new tattoo with the AP.
The incident drew criticism after a recent video surfaced showing Platner shirtless on the progressive podcast Pod Save America, revealing the tattoo. Platner said he and fellow Marines had gotten the tattoo while “inebriated” and without knowledge of its meaning. “I am not a secret Nazi,” he said on the program, insisting his record and beliefs demonstrate lifelong opposition to antisemitism and racism.
The controversy follows reports of offensive online comments made by Platner years ago, including statements about race, military sexual assaults, and rural Americans. Platner has apologized for the remarks, saying they were made after leaving the Army while he struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
Platner, an oyster farmer and progressive activist, has built his campaign on populist themes, calling for investment in domestic infrastructure over foreign wars. He has pledged not to accept donations from the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, a stance that drew criticism from Maine’s Jewish Community Alliance, which said his messaging invoked harmful stereotypes.
Despite growing scrutiny, Platner has vowed to remain in the race against incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has endorsed Platner, calling him a strong candidate to challenge Collins. Platner leads the Democratic field in fundraising, reporting $3.2 million in donations as of September 30.
“I don’t look at this as a liability,” Platner told the AP. “I look at this as a life that I have lived-a journey full of struggle that has gotten me to where I am today.”
Platner held a town hall on Wednesday in Ogunquit, Maine, as his campaign works to manage the fallout from the tattoo controversy.