Combat veterans and Republican senators are condemning Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner for derogatory remarks about soldiers and mocking a Purple Heart recipient.
Combat veterans and Republican senators are vocally criticizing Graham Platner, a Democratic Senate candidate, following the resurfacing of his derogatory comments about the Army and a mocking remark aimed at a soldier who was awarded the Purple Heart after being shot multiple times in combat.
Holland “Ricky” White, a Vietnam War veteran who served with the Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade, expressed his outrage in an interview with Fox News Digital. “I am a decorated veteran, and people need to understand what serving in the Army cost me: congestive heart failure, bilateral hearing loss, COPD, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, and PTSD,” White said. “I understand ridicule better than most. I was ridiculed not only as a Vietnam veteran but as a Black man as well.” He continued, “I lost friends over there, and it still hurts to talk about them. I often ask God, ‘Why did You spare me and not my friends?’ I believe God wasn’t done with me when I came home, and that’s why I continue trying to make a difference today.” White concluded, “That is why comments like Graham’s are so offensive.”
The backlash against Platner has intensified amid a growing controversy surrounding his deleted Reddit account as he campaigns to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins in the closely watched 2026 Senate race in Maine. Platner has heavily relied on his military background to appeal to voters, but the resurfaced posts threaten to undermine his campaign, as they include slurs, an embrace of socialism, and harsh criticism of the armed forces.
One of Platner’s most controversial posts dates back to 2019, where he harshly criticized a soldier who had been shot multiple times by the Taliban in 2012. “Dumb motherf—er didn’t deserve to live. At least his stupidity and fat a– wheezing are available for all future infantrymen to witness and hold in contempt,” Platner wrote in response to combat footage shared by another user. The video in question featured U.S. Army veteran Ted Daniels, who was shot four times and subsequently awarded the Purple Heart.
Steve, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan who has garnered a significant social media following, expressed his disgust at Platner’s remarks. “As a Purple Heart recipient myself – having been wounded for my country – I find his comments to be especially vile,” he stated. “Mocking a fellow American that took enemy fire to protect his squad shows a lack of basic understanding of brotherhood and selfless service.” Steve requested anonymity for privacy reasons.
Platner’s disdain for the Army is evident in his deleted posts. In April 2019, he wrote, “I spent another 4 in the Army after the Corps, and while I was very lucky to serve in some sh–t hot units with good dudes, as a whole the organization is absolute trash. Full of fat, lazy trash who would rather not be in uniform.”
Bill Brown, a retired Navy SEAL who served in Iraq, condemned Platner’s comments, stating, “A Senator who calls soldiers ‘trash’ and mocks a man’s Purple Heart has shown who he really is. A Senator votes to send soldiers to war, confirms the generals who lead them, and funds the equipment that protects them. Platner’s own words in his deleted post prove he can’t be trusted to do right by those that protect us.”
Kate Monroe, CEO of VETCOMM and a Marine Corps veteran, added, “Being a veteran does not make someone honorable. Honor is how you carry yourself, how you treat others, and how you speak about those who served beside you. In this case, the uniform may have been earned, but respect clearly was not.”
John Rourke, a retired Army staff sergeant who served during Operation Iraqi Freedom, echoed Monroe’s sentiments, stating that Platner’s mockery does not make him “edgy or tough” but rather “a disgrace to the uniform.”
Some of Platner’s potential future colleagues in the Senate, who also have military backgrounds, have condemned his remarks. Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, remarked, “As a combat veteran, I’ve seen the cost of war up close. I’ve watched brave Americans come home with wounds, visible and invisible, that they’ll carry for the rest of their lives. Mocking servicemembers for getting wounded or killed is absolutely despicable. These are our brothers and sisters, people who volunteered to put everything on the line for this country.” Ernst has 23 years of service in the Army Reserve and Iowa Army National Guard, including a command role in Kuwait during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark., also criticized Platner, stating, “Platner’s comments about American servicemembers are disgraceful, but it’s what we should expect from a communist with a Nazi tattoo.” Cotton served as an Army infantry officer with combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Senator Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., a retired Navy SEAL, expressed skepticism about the support Platner might receive from fellow Democrats, saying, “Let’s see the courageous Democrat vets defend this one … can’t wait to hear it.” Meanwhile, the offices of some Democratic veterans in the Senate did not respond to requests for comment regarding Platner’s remarks.
The Platner campaign also did not respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital regarding the controversy.
Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Afghanistan, emphasized the importance of loyalty among service members, stating, “The motto and ethos of the Marine Corps is Semper Fidelis – always faithful. This means fidelity to Marines and fellow service members. This guy has failed that test.”
The fallout from Platner’s comments continues to unfold as he navigates a challenging political landscape in his bid for the Senate.
According to Fox News Digital, the controversy surrounding Platner’s remarks has sparked significant backlash from both veterans and political figures alike.