Reddit Past BLOWS UP Democratic Front-Runner

A Maine Democratic Senate candidate wrote that a wounded U.S. soldier “didn’t deserve to live” — and now a Purple Heart recipient is calling him out publicly.

Story Highlights

Graham Platner’s deleted Reddit account contains a 2019 post mocking a wounded U.S. soldier shot during a Taliban firefight.
Purple Heart recipient Teddy Daniels called Platner an “entitled brat” and described the posts as “vile” and “disgusting.”
The Maine Monitor preserved roughly 2,000 of Platner’s deleted Reddit comments spanning more than a decade.
Platner claimed the posts were “s—posting” and crude humor, but never directly addressed the specific language about the soldier.

Deleted Posts Surface Before Maine Senate Primary

Graham Platner, the leading Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, is under fire after a deleted Reddit account linked to him was uncovered. A June 2019 post from the account, named “P-Hustle,” mocked a U.S. soldier who was shot during a Taliban ambush. The post read: “Dumb motherf—– didn’t deserve to live.” Platner has not denied writing the post. He has called it crude online humor and said readers should view it “in context.” ^[1]

The Maine Monitor, a local news outlet, downloaded and saved the full archive of the “P-Hustle” account from a site that preserves deleted Reddit posts. Reporters read and sorted roughly 2,000 comments made over more than a decade. The outlet published the full archive so voters could review it themselves. ^[8] That is a large body of material — and critics say more damaging posts could still surface before Election Day.

Purple Heart Recipient Fires Back

Army veteran Teddy Daniels, who earned the Purple Heart after being wounded in Afghanistan, spoke out after reports linked the mocked soldier to him. Daniels called Platner an “entitled brat” and said the posts showed exactly the kind of person he is. ^[3] Daniels appeared on Fox Business and described the comments as “vile” and “disgusting,” saying they showed a deep disrespect for the men and women who serve in uniform. ^[4]

Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, also weighed in. Collins said it is “never appropriate to mock a downed soldier” and used the controversy to draw a sharp contrast with Platner ahead of the general election. ^[10] Veterans groups and Republican critics have called the posts disqualifying. The backlash has been swift and bipartisan, with even some Democrats distancing themselves from Platner’s past words.

Platner’s “It Was Just a Joke” Defense Falls Flat

Platner’s response to the backlash has been to call the posts “s—posting” — internet slang for posting crude or provocative content for laughs. He said the comments were jokes and that people should read them in full context. But his defense never directly addressed the specific words: that a wounded soldier “didn’t deserve to live.” Calling something a joke is not the same as explaining it. ^[9]

Platner's Pathethic Parade — it just never quits….

"Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner appeared to cruelly mock a teen’s suicide attempt in a newly resurfaced Reddit post."

"The May 2012 Reddit thread begins with a photo of a distraught teenage girl hanging…

— Naran Row-Spaulding (@NRSmaine) June 14, 2026

For voters who value the military and believe in honoring those who sacrifice for this country, the “it was just humor” excuse rings hollow. A candidate running for U.S. Senate should be held to a basic standard of respect for service members — especially one wounded in combat. Platner dodged a direct apology when asked by reporters. ^[5] Maine voters will have to decide whether that kind of character belongs in the Senate.