Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner Covers Tattoo Resembling Nazi Totenkopf Amid Campaign Scrutiny

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner has covered a tattoo on his chest that closely resembles the Nazi Totenkopf symbol, following a wave of public scrutiny and controversy that has added to the challenges facing his campaign. The development comes as Platner, an oyster farmer, seeks to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine.

Platner stated he acquired the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007 while serving in the Marine Corps and on leave in Croatia, claiming he was unaware of its association with Nazi iconography until recently. He explained that he and fellow Marines chose a "terrifying looking skull and crossbones off the wall because we were Marines and, you know, skulls and crossbones are a pretty standard military thing," as reported by the Associated Press.

However, CNN's KFile investigation and reports from Jewish Insider indicate that Platner may have been aware of the tattoo's connotations earlier. Acquaintances reportedly recalled him referring to the image as "my Totenkopf" years ago, and deleted Reddit posts show Platner discussing and defending SS-style symbols in military contexts. His former political director, Genevieve McDonald, who resigned from his campaign, stated that Platner "knows damn well what it means."

The Totenkopf, German for "death's head," is a skull and crossbones emblem that was notably adopted by Hitler's Schutzstaffel (SS) units during the Nazi era, according to the Anti-Defamation League. This tattoo controversy follows earlier revelations about Platner's past controversial Reddit posts, which included remarks on sexual assault and criticisms of police and rural Americans.

In response to the backlash, Platner apologized and has since had the tattoo covered with a new design. "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," Platner said in a statement. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has endorsed Platner, defended the candidate, suggesting he went through a "dark period."