PORTLAND, ME—Maine Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Graham Platner is battling a torrent of controversy after disclosing a tattoo on his chest that strongly resembles the Totenkopf—the “Death’s Head” symbol used by Hitler’s infamous SS (Schutzstaffel). Platner, a progressive candidate and decorated military veteran, has since covered up the image and issued fervent apologies, insisting he was unaware of its sinister historical connotations when he got it nearly two decades ago.
The political firestorm erupts at a critical time in the high-stakes Democratic primary race to challenge long-serving Republican Senator Susan Collins.
A Tattoo’s Resurgence and The Candidate’s Defense
The tattoo, a skull-and-crossbones design prominently placed on his upper chest, dates back to 2007 when Platner was a Marine in his 20s. He revealed the tattoo—and an accompanying, unrelated video of him dancing—during an appearance on the liberal podcast Pod Save America, a preemptive move to address what he anticipated would become opposition research.
Platner, a former Marine and U.S. Army veteran, maintains he and fellow Marines got the “terrifying looking skull and crossbones off the wall” at a tattoo parlor in Croatia while on leave and drinking, seeing it merely as a generic, tough-looking military emblem.
“It was not until I started hearing from reporters and DC insiders that I realized this tattoo resembled a Nazi symbol,” Platner said in a statement. He emphatically denied any Nazi or antisemitic beliefs, stating he is a “lifelong opponent” of such ideologies. “I absolutely would not have gone through life having this on my chest if I knew that—and to insinuate that I did is disgusting.”
The Totenkopf: A Symbol of Atrocity
The image, which has been identified by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as closely resembling the Nazi Totenkopf, is a deeply troubling symbol. The German “Death’s Head” was adopted by the SS-Totenkopfverbände, the unit responsible for guarding and administering the concentration and extermination camps where millions of Jews and others were systematically murdered during the Holocaust.
The ADL noted that while some people get tattoos without knowing their hateful association, the bearer should be asked to repudiate its meaning.
Rapid Response: Cover-Up and Continuing Doubts
In a swift effort to quell the escalating controversy, Platner announced he would remove the tattoo. However, due to the difficulty of finding a timely removal service in his rural Maine location, he opted for an immediate cover-up.
The new ink, completed just this week, is a dark design described as a Celtic knot with a dog-like creature at its center. Platner publicly displayed the new tattoo to a local news outlet, reiterating his desire to distance himself from the hateful association.
The candidate’s explanation has been met with skepticism from some critics, including his former political director, Genevieve McDonald, who resigned over a separate controversy involving Platner’s past inflammatory Reddit posts. McDonald, a former state representative, suggested it was “not plausible” that a military history buff like Platner remained ignorant of the symbol’s meaning for nearly 20 years. Platner has pushed back, citing his security clearances and enlistment in the Army after his Marine service—both processes that include checks for extremist symbols—as evidence that the Nazi connection was not obvious.
The tattoo controversy follows an apology Platner made last week for a trove of controversial and offensive Reddit posts made between 2013 and 2021, which included remarks on military sexual assault, race, and police. The ongoing revelations have transformed a burgeoning progressive campaign into a desperate scramble for survival.