John Fetterman Calls Maine Candidate Graham Platner a Nazi Sympathizer in June 2 CNN Interview

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman criticized Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after reports of sexual messages and a controversial tattoo, calling Platner a "creep" and a "Nazi sympathizer" in a June 2 interview with CNN.

“WASHINGTON — Graham Platner visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday to meet with Democrats amid fresh controversy”

NBC News

Fetterman said Platner had been on a platform like Kik under the username "phustle0331" sending "a dozen explicit kinds of messages and who knows what else?" while also attacking a skull-and-crossbones tattoo that Fetterman said resembles a Nazi symbol.

NBC News

Fetterman’s comments marked a break from other Senate Democrats, who had been more reserved on the issue as Platner polled ahead of Republican incumbent Susan Collins in Maine.

USA TODAY said a University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll showed Platner led 51% to 42% over Collins, while NBC News described Platner as the presumptive nominee for the 2026 race to take on Collins.

NBC News reported that no senator had reneged on support for Platner after the weekend reports, even as Platner faced fresh controversy on Capitol Hill.

Graham Platner visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday to meet with Democrats amid the controversy, and NBC News reported that a source said the meetings were "on the books for a while" and unrelated to the recent stories.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters, "I endorsed Graham Platner," while he dodged questions about whether the revelations concern him and whether he was satisfied with Platner’s explanations.

USA Today

NBC News said Democrats standing by Platner included Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, who argued that "The drip, drip that’s actually happening is Americans are really, really hurt by the fact that gas is still high."

In a June 2 interview with CNN, USA TODAY reported that Fetterman did not say whether he would back Platner if he became the Democratic nominee and responded, "No, no, I don't know" when asked about backing Susan Collins over Platner.

NBC News also reported that Platner met with several senators at the headquarters of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, including Sens. Peter Welch and Elizabeth Warren, and left without speaking to reporters after more than an hour and a half.

NBC News said Platner’s team projected confidence despite the controversies, with a campaign official saying, "Our campaign is concerned with the issues that matter to Mainers."

“Fetterman breaks from Dems, calls Platner 'creep,' 'Nazi sympathizer' - U”

USA TODAY

The same NBC News report quoted a Republican critique from Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., saying, "She’s always had a tough race," as he described Collins as the toughest candidate to beat in Maine.

NBC News also included Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., arguing that Republican super PACs controlled by billionaires were prepared to spend $100 million in Maine to defeat Platner, and Sanders said, "That’s an extraordinary amount of money."

USA TODAY reported that Platner met with Senate Democrats in Washington, DC, including Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, Peter Welch, Elizabeth Warren, Adam Schiff, and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders on June 2.

With Schumer stating, "We’re going to beat Susan Collins and take back the Senate," the sources framed the immediate consequence as Democrats preparing to contest the 2026 Maine Senate race while the sexting and tattoo controversy remained a central political fault line.