TATTOOED IN CROATIA: Member of the U.S. Democratic Party under fire for Nazi tattoo on his chest! (VIDEO)

American Democrat from Maine, Graham Platner, got a Nazi skull and crossbones tattoo in Croatia.

Graham Platner, a 41-year-old Marine veteran and oyster farmer, said he only issued an apology after being “warned by journalists and Washington insiders,” following the circulation of a video on social media showing the politician dancing in his underwear at his brother’s wedding, which sparked outrage online.

The tattoo resembles the “Totenkopf,” the German term for “death’s head,” a skull and crossbones symbol used by Nazi forces during World War II.

“I absolutely wouldn’t live with this on my chest if I had known, and to suggest that I would is disgusting. I’ve already covered the tattoo with a new design,” Platner told the BBC.

We just sat down with Graham Platner to talk about his previous online comments, and the now-infamous tattoo. He gave us a first look at the cover-up tattoo he had done just last night, and spoke candidly about the controversies surrounding him now. That's tonight at 5. @WGME pic.twitter.com/YIfV39D5Bd
— WGME Photojournalist 🎥📡 (@MENewsPhotog) October 22, 2025

Tattoo done in Croatia

Platner, who is running for the Senate seat currently held by Republican Susan Collins, said he got the tattoo in Croatia in 2007 with fellow Marines, claiming they picked the image off the wall of a tattoo parlor while drinking.

“We chose a scary skull and crossbones from the wall because we were Marines, and skulls and crossbones are pretty standard military stuff,” he said.

His campaign team emphasized that military doctors had examined his tattoos and never raised any issues, noting that the armed forces do not allow service members with hate symbols to serve.

Platner had previously faced criticism after old Reddit posts resurfaced in which he downplayed the significance of sexual assault in the military and described himself as a communist.

pic.twitter.com/fPnFgpD54T
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) October 17, 2025

Depression after the war

The Democrat later issued an apology in a video, saying that he wrote the comments after returning from war while struggling with depression.

“I felt very disappointed, alienated, and isolated,” he said.

Amidst all the furor around Platner’s Totenkopf tat, it’s kinda flying under the radar that the reason we know of it is bc of this humiliation ritual kompromat vid recorded in a Beltway bar that Graham used to work at that shows him singing “Wrecking Ball” in his boxers 👀 https://t.co/7yky5vxgeu pic.twitter.com/Gcd48v3L12
— ParaPower Mapping (@KlonnyPin_Gosch) October 21, 2025

Support from Bernie Sanders

Senator Bernie Sanders, former U.S. presidential candidate, defended Platner, saying the tattoo was chosen while he was drunk.

“He’s not the only one in America who has gone through a dark period. People go through that. He apologized for the stupid and offensive things he said, and I’m confident he will run a great campaign and win,” Sanders said.