Who is Senatorial Candidate Graham Platner, and Did He do a Nazi Salute?
Senatorial candidate Graham Platner of the Democratic Party from Maine drew online controversy. A photo of him with a raised hand circulated, and right-wing spaces compared the gesture to a Nazi salute. But is the gesture a Nazi salute?
Several ring-wing accounts accused left-leaning legacy media for the lack of criticism against Platner. Many of these accounts went on to call out the media for perceived hypocrisy for accusing Elon Musk of doing the salute but being unable to do the same against Platner.
Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer also piled in on the criticism against left-wing media. He said, “I’m sorry to say most reporters at the MSM will never change their behavior. They are activists in the fight. They became reporters to support left-wing causes. They’ll deny it and pretend they are fair.”
Another account also alleged that Platner has a Nazi tattoo, and yet the media refuses to tackle the subject.
Comparing the Nazi salute to Platner’s hand gesture
There are many claims to unpack and debunk here. The first is, did Platner commit a Nazi salute? The short answer is no, and the full video gives context to why Platner’s hand was raised at the time. In a campaigning event in Portland, Maine, Platner delivered speeches about his principles as a candidate. By the end of it, he was waving to the crowd—hence why his hand was raised.
The allegation becomes even more contrived when, in his speech, Platner had been adamant about defeating fascism in the United States. Comparing the gesture to an actual salute made during World War II, the difference isn’t just context. Nazi salutes involve extending the right arm to a 45-degree angle and are noticeably stiff.
That’s precisely why Elon Musk was called out online for his gesture. Not only did he dramatically pump his hand out of his chest, but his movement was noticeably stiff. Musk, on his part, denied that it was a Nazi salute. But if it aggressively looks like a Nazi salute, what other conclusion is there to draw?
He can deny it, of course. But context matters—and it doesn’t help that he endorsed the far-right German party, AfD.
Platner’s dubious tattoo
According to the BBC, Platner had a skull-and-crossbones tattoo. The senatorial candidate made the excuse that he drunkenly chose the tattoo from a parlor wall while he was deployed as a Marine in Croatia, 2007.
At the time, he didn’t know that the symbol—called a ‘totenkopf’—held any significant meaning. After serving in the Marines, he was inspected before serving in the US Army. Tattooing hate symbols is not allowed in the US Army. Nevertheless, Platner has recently covered up the tattoo by enlisting a friend to help with his ordeal.
So is Platner’s tattoo a homage to Nazis? Not intentionally—and it seems that even the US Army failed to detect it as a hate symbol just as much as Platner did.
What does Platner stand for?
Platner was interviewed by Mehdi Hasan about his stances on several issues. Social media was largely amazed that the candidate had straightforward answers to each question. Most politicians would dodge questions by giving different, irrelevant answers. But Platner voted a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no.’
The candidate is in favor of a $20 minimum wage, getting rid of the Senate filibuster, voting to convict Trump in an impeachment trial, and the statehood of Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Conversely, he was not in support of Chuck Schumer as Senate Majority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries as House Speaker in 2027, or a ban on assault weapons.
Endorsed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Platner’s campaign clearly targets the working class. In Maine, he gave a speech in praise of the civil rights movement, encouraging the crowd to take back the United States from billionaires through the power of their vote.
(featured image: Graham Platner)
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