Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner has responded to comments President Donald Trump made about him during an Oval Office event on Wednesday. Following the Democrat’s victory in the primary on Tuesday, the president referred to the Maine candidate as a “thug” and claimed he was “worse than any human being” to run for office. Platner, a combat veteran and business owner, brushed off the insults and said they amounted to “the highest compliment” he has ever received.
The Senate candidate said in a response video posted to his official X account that Trump made those comments out of fear of what his campaign represents.
“The reason he’s doing it is that he’s scared,” Platner stated. “He knows that we’re coming after him… When we retake the Senate with fighting Democrats who actually want to hold Trump and his cronies and all their corruption accountable, he knows that’s coming.”
Platner said he is fighting for a “better future” for working-class people and to build something in Maine “the likes of which has not been seen before.” He also accused Trump and his allies of believing they can get away with wrongdoing because of their wealth and influence. According to Platner, they are about to find out that they are not above the law.
Netizens React to Graham Platner’s Response
The video has received mixed reactions from netizens on X. Some argued that Trump’s assessment of Platner was in line with the public’s perception of him. “Trump is not the only one thinking that. We all do,” one person claimed. Someone else commented, “You don’t have the character to run for office.” A third said, “Bearing the ‘thug’ title and the ‘worst person ever to run for office’ title is not a badge of honor.” A fourth added, “Only an idiot would think an insult is the best compliment he’s ever received. Unless you’ve set the bar that low, I guess.”
Others, however, defended the Democrat and praised his response. “True! He only hates on people who aren’t his toys,” one supporter remarked. Another wrote, “I think you’re a patriot… The public sees it as a badge of honor.” A third encouraged Platner to continue his campaign, writing, “Keep fighting the good fight dude 💙🇺🇸”
In the Senate race, Platner has faced scrutiny after multiple media outlets reported on a covered chest tattoo that critics said resembled an extremist symbol, along with deleted Reddit posts containing controversial comments and allegations of personal misconduct from former partners. Platner has disputed some of the claims and said the tattoo was not intended to carry any extremist meaning.
