Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner revealed in an interview published Wednesday that he has covered up his large chest tattoo of a Nazi skull and crossbones symbol.
“It’s been covered up with some kind of Celtic knot with a dog on it, because that’s far more in line with my opinions about nature and animals now than my connection to the violence that I partook in when I was a young man,” Platner told Vanity Fair.
In recent days, the Senate hopeful has faced scrutiny after a video emerged showing a Totenkopf tattoo on his chest. The Totenkopf, which is German for “death’s head,” is best known as the symbol of Adolf Hitler’s SS, the paramilitary group that was responsible for the Nazi regime’s worst crimes.
Platner previously revealed he got the tattoo when he was “very inebriated” while on leave in Croatia as a Marine in 2007. He denied that he is a “secret Nazi,” claiming he was unaware of the symbol’s ties to Nazism until recently.
In the interview with Vanity Fair, Platner regretted getting the tattoo.
“I don’t want this on my body if that’s how people see it. But for 20 years, I’ve had it, and I’ve been taking my shirt off in the gym and living my life with this thing, and it’s never come up,” the progressive oyster farmer said while defending his decision at the time.
“Skull and crossbones motifs are popular amongst military units,” he added. “They’re still popular today amongst military units around the world. I have seen a similar skull and crossbones on French Foreign Legion guys that I served next to in Afghanistan. I’ve seen a very similar one on unit T-shirts from other American military units. I’ve always viewed it as a skull and crossbones tied to combat units.”
Platner is also experiencing backlash to old, resurfaced posts on Reddit in which he called himself a “communist” and a “psychedelics taking socialist.” The controversy led to the resignation of his campaign’s political director, Genevieve McDonald.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and at least three major labor unions are backing Platner over Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME), who entered the 2026 primary race to unseat Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) last week. Sanders intends to continue supporting the political newcomer in spite of the recent controversies.
“I personally think he is an excellent candidate. I’m going to support him, and I look forward to him becoming the next senator in the state of Maine,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
Platner revealed he had spoken with Sanders since the news broke about his tattoo and past remarks.
MAINE SENATE HOPEFUL PLATNER DENIES HE’S ‘SECRET NAZI’ AFTER SS SKULL TATTOO REVEALED
“I spoke with him the other day. He understands that this is a hit job,” the progressive candidate said. “He knows that they’re coming after me with everything they’ve got. He understands that I am not a secret Nazi. I have an entirely open and easily accessible life for anyone to look at to know that that is not true.”
War Secretary Pete Hegseth faced a similar controversy over his Jerusalem cross tattoo earlier this year when Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about its ties to right-wing extremist groups. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Hegseth maintained the tattoo was merely a Christian symbol and pointed out that the same symbol was seen on the floor of the Washington National Cathedral during President Jimmy Carter’s funeral.