A Purple Heart veteran, Teddy Daniels, has publicly criticized Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner for derogatory comments made about him online. Daniels, who was mocked in a now-deleted Reddit post by Platner, has expressed that he does not seek an apology from Platner, whom he described as a ‘self-proclaimed communist’ lacking respect.
Controversial Comments Resurface
The controversy stems from a 2019 Reddit post where Platner, under the username ‘P-Hustle,’ reacted to a video showing Daniels being shot during a 2012 clash with Taliban fighters. Platner’s post suggested Daniels ‘didn’t deserve to live’ and attributed his survival to the Taliban’s poor marksmanship. These comments, along with others where Platner described himself as a ‘communist’ and used alleged homophobic slurs, have resurfaced, drawing criticism from veterans and the public.
Daniels, a former Republican candidate for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor, also addressed Platner’s comments about ‘American Sniper’ Chris Kyle, suggesting Platner’s remarks were driven by jealousy. Daniels emphasized that Platner’s statements were premeditated and not triggered by any immediate circumstances.
PTSD as an Excuse?
Platner has cited his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a reason for his past inflammatory posts, a claim Daniels disputes. Daniels, who also suffers from PTSD due to his military service, argues that Platner is using PTSD as a crutch to avoid accountability. He stated that while PTSD might occasionally cause one to act out of character, Platner’s behavior appears to be a consistent pattern.
Supporters of Platner have attempted to dismiss his comments as ‘locker room talk’ or a dark sense of humor common among soldiers. However, Daniels refutes this, stating that Platner’s privileged background disqualifies him from understanding true ‘locker room talk.’ Daniels described Platner’s comments as ‘vile and disgusting,’ far beyond acceptable banter.
Fox News Digital reached out to Platner’s campaign for comment, but no response was provided at the time of reporting.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
