Far-left Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner is facing mounting backlash after resurfaced comments accusing slain Navy SEAL Chris Kyle of inflating his combat record by shooting innocent civilians, remarks that Kyles widow has condemned as transparent, cowardly, and a cheap political trick."
According to The Gateway Pundit, Platner, a 41-year-old Marine veteran now running as a Democrat, has already drawn scrutiny for a string of crude and extremist online posts, including vulgar sexual remarks and attacks on fellow service members on Reddit. The controversy deepened when a 2024 interview surfaced in which Platner took aim at Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history, who was murdered in February 2013 at a Texas shooting range and left behind his wife, Taya, and their two children.
In a 2024 episode of the Green Beret Chronicle Show, Platner insinuated that Kyles legendary record was the product of indiscriminate killing rather than battlefield skill and discipline. His stories about how many people he was shooting certainly tracked with the behavior we I witnessed and people I knew witnessed down at the Gov Center, which is its relatively easy to get high numbers like that if youre, if youre a little less discriminating, your fire, than say a more professional unit would be, Platner said.
Platner has also suggested that Kyle inflated his kill numbers by shooting innocent civilians, a charge that cuts directly against the reverence many Americans hold for Kyles service and sacrifice. For a candidate seeking federal office, such rhetoric signals not only a lack of respect for the military community but also a willingness to smear the dead, who cannot defend themselves, for political gain.
Taya Kyle responded forcefully during an appearance on Fox News, where host Jacqui Heinrich played the clip of Platners remarks and asked for her reaction. Heinrich framed the issue bluntly: You know, your husband has been in the news lately, your late husband, after Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner suggested that he, in his role as a legendary American sniper, shot innocent civilians in Iraq to inflate his kill numbers. This is what Graham Platner said.
After the video aired, Heinrich pressed further: What went through your mind when you heard this? Taya did not mince words, calling out Platners comments as a calculated attempt to ride on the notoriety of a fallen hero.
Oh, I mean, to me its just like nothing says I want attention more than disparaging a national hero whos also dead, she replied, underscoring the moral bankruptcy of attacking a man who gave his life in service to his country. Its just, its transparent, its cowardly, its lowbrow to lie about somebody else, right. And it distracts from what youve probably said. And in this case, I think some things that he has said, and its this cheap political trick to say, you know, I havent done a whole lot, so let me attach my name to somebody whos beloved. And if nothing else, Ill get out in the news.
Taya went on to argue that Platners behavior reveals a deeper character flaw that should disqualify him from public office. And thats working for him to get that notoriety. But to me, it shows a total inability to lead with character. So for me, he would be out of the running immediately.
Heinrich also highlighted Platners shifting narrative about his own service, pointing to past statements that raise questions about his judgment and honesty. Hes also given some inconsistent statements about his own military service. He said in 2020 on Reddit that he joined the Marines because he, quote, wanted to have an adventure and kill some people. More recently, he blamed Susan Collins for sending him to Iraq via a vote.
The Fox News host then asked how such rhetoric lands with families who have already borne the cost of war. You know, Memorial Day weekend is already difficult for Gold Star families. When you see commentary like this from a public figure, someone who wants to go into elected office? Does it make it harder?
Taya acknowledged that, despite their strength, such attacks still wound her family. Yeah, and you know what, I think my family and I, my kids and I, wed love to get on here and say it doesnt matter when people say things like that and were over it and we understand that its just these cheap political tricks.
But the truth is, it does hurt. You know, my kids are 21 and 20, theyre grown adults, and I wish I could tell you that it doesnt hurt, but it does. Her words underscore the human cost of political grandstanding that treats the reputations of the fallen as expendable.
And something like this, where its so obvious to us that he didnt know him, that hes making things up, that it is the polar opposite of what Chris said and did. Its it cheapens it. For Taya, the idea that a would-be senator would fabricate narratives about a man he never met is not just offensive, but degrading to the memory of all who served honorably.
I cant imagine anyone voting for somebody like that, she added, a sentiment likely shared by many Americans who still believe in honoring those who wear the uniform. I feel like its so obvious, and you would hope that people do their research and things see the things that he said online.
The Gateway Pundit has previously detailed other troubling aspects of Platners record, describing him as a Marine veteran who has veered sharply into radical leftist territory. Last year, it was revealed that one of his tattoos closely resembles the Nazi SS Totenkopf skull and crossbones, and subsequent Reddit disclosures have only intensified concerns about his temperament and fitness for office.
Additional posts attributed to Platner show him mocking rural white Americans, openly calling himself a communist, and referring to Jesus as a zombie. His contempt has extended to fellow service members, including Pfc. Ted Daniels, who, while serving in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, with the 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, deliberately exposed himself to Taliban fire to protect the seven other soldiers in his squad.
Rather than honoring that courage, Platner reportedly suggested that Daniels didnt deserve to live. For voters who value patriotism, respect for faith, and gratitude toward those who risk their lives for the country, such statements paint a stark picture of a candidate fundamentally at odds with traditional American values.
While Platner disparages Kyle and other veterans, Chris Kyles legacy continues through the work of The Taya and Chris Kyle Foundation (TACKF), the nonprofit Taya founded on Veterans Day in 2014 to honor her late husband. The organization is dedicated to strengthening the marriages and families of military members, veterans, and first responders through research-based programs that address the unique burdens of service.
TACKF offers retreats, marriage-strengthening courses such as Mastering Your Marriage, spouse empowerment groups, strengths training, and ongoing coaching designed to help couples navigate combat trauma, reintegration, and the daily pressures of service life. Its mission is summed up in the tagline Service Family Strong, a commitment to helping families stay connected, reduce the risk of divorce, and build healthier legacies for the next generation.
As Maine voters weigh their choices, the contrast could not be clearer: on one side, a decorated warrior whose family now works to support those who serve; on the other, a candidate who mocks heroes, belittles faith, and embraces radical ideology. For citizens who still believe that character, respect for the fallen, and devotion to country matter, the record of Graham Platners words and actions may prove impossible to ignore.
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