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Year: 2026

Combat veteran nearly killed by Taliban fires back at Platner’s deleted online attack: ‘You’re a coward’

Combat veteran nearly killed by Taliban fires back at Platner’s deleted online attack: ‘You’re a coward’

Combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient Ted Daniels, who was nearly killed by the Taliban, ripped Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner over a resurfaced post in which Platner said Daniels should not have survived. Speaking to “The Bottom Line” on Thursday, Daniels called Platner a “coward” for hiding behind a keyboard. “People like this don’t say stuff like this to my face,” he said. “It’s online, and that right there tells me, Graham, you’re a coward.” In a now-deleted Reddit post from June 2019, Platner reacted to a viral helmet-cam video showing Daniels being shot four times during a 2012 clash with Taliban fighters. “This video never gets old,” Platner wrote under the username “P-Hustle,” a deleted Reddit account he has acknowledged owning. “Dumb motherf—– didn’t deserve to live. At least his stupidity and fat a– wheezing are available for all future infantrymen to witness and hold in contempt. Poor marksmanship on the Taliban’s part is the only reason this mouthbreather made it home, he managed to make every possible s— decision possible when it comes to small unit combat,” the post read. PLATNER’S DELETED REDDIT SPARKS OUTRAGE AGAIN AS HE APPEARS TO MOCK WOUNDED SOLDIER: ‘DIDN’T DESERVE TO LIVE’ The deleted post can still be found in the Maine Monitor’s database of Platner’s deleted Reddit history. Platner, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, is facing mounting backlash over his past online comments, which have drawn criticism from veterans and lawmakers across the political spectrum. His resurfaced Reddit account also featured a stream of vulgar and highly unusual posts that critics say raise broader questions about Platner’s judgment. “Thank you for your service, Graham, but I think you’re a scumbag personally,” Daniels said. Other resurfaced Reddit posts included Platner describing himself as a “communist” and “socialist,” alleged homophobic slurs, and praise for Hamas military tactics. Daniels said Platner’s comments may stem from personal insecurity. “Hate never comes from above,” he said. “It always comes from below. I don’t know if Mr. Platner has an inferiority complex. I don’t know if he’s disgusted or not proud of his own service because he’s out there attacking folks who are proud of their service and have done the right things for the right reason.” TOP OFF-THE-WALL REDDIT POSTS HAUNTING GRAHAM PLATNER’S MAINE SENATE BID He said he first learned about the post while having coffee with his wife and immediately asked whether it came from a “liberal” before knowing who wrote it. After his wife confirmed it was Platner, Daniels said the comments “made sense.” “This is what they do. It’s the violent rhetoric. It’s hateful rhetoric,” he said. Daniels said Platner needed “therapy” for attacking other soldiers, including “American Sniper” and former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, whom Platner previously accused of killing civilians to inflate his numbers. “The comments that he made about me are just one thing. He attacked former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle as well. Chris Kyle’s an American hero, he’s an icon, the legend,” he said. WATCH: COLLINS RIPS MAINE CHALLENGER PLATNER OVER RESURFACED REDDIT POST MOCKING WOUNDED US SOLDIER He added that Platner’s comments reflect poorly on the military as a whole. “Everybody thinks that everybody that served in the military is a saint and can do no wrong and that’s just not the case,” he said. “Just to have somebody like this involved in our culture in the first place, it’s embarrassing for the entire military and veteran community.” Daniels said Platner is contributing to extreme political rhetoric online. “This man has cheered on Antifa. He has called for violence. He hates cops, and it’s like, this is what we’re dealing with,” he said. “From what I see, it’s all behind the keyboard.” He said Platner’s rhetoric and emotionally unstable behavior make him unfit for office. “This is coming from a man whose party has no idea what a woman is, yet he saw a video of a man online and had an emotional meltdown like a 13-year-old girl who just got dumped by her boyfriend,” Daniels said. “Honestly, that’s not the type of leadership that we need in our government.” Platner became the Democrats’ presumptive nominee after two-term Gov. Janet Mills ended her campaign last month. If he wins the June primary, Platner will face five-term incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins this fall.

Dem candidate who called for imprisoning ‘Zionists’ blames her own party, media for backlash

Dem candidate who called for imprisoning ‘Zionists’ blames her own party, media for backlash

The Democratic House candidate under fire for recommending imprisonment for “American Zionists” blamed journalists and her own party for allegedly mischaracterizing her as wanting to create a holding center for “American Zionists” and a purported castration facility. In an Instagram post last week, South Texas sex therapist Maureen Galindo proposed legislation that would repurpose a federal detention facility to imprison “American Zionists.” In other posts, she also accused her Democratic runoff challenger, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Johnny Garcia, of being paid to put “Jews and Mexicans in concentration camps via Zionist trafficking networks.” In a social media video posted Thursday, Galindo blamed journalists for mischaracterizing her comments and said she has received threats and hate mail. She also sought to set the record straight about her reference to using an ICE facility in her district. “I’m sorry to all journalists if I missed your email or social media message, it got lost in a wave of hundreds of death threats and the most vile things. I’m in Texas, I know MAGA. This is worse than MAGA, that’s because MAGA and Zionism is religious overtaking of government,” Galindo said. DEMOCRATS VOW TO VOTE ‘EVERY SINGLE DAY’ TO EXPEL FELLOW DEM FROM CONGRESS IF SHE WINS MIDTERM “I never said I wanted to use an internment camp. Literally never said it. I said I want to close all detention centers… and put billionaire American Zionists who are funding the genocidal prison systems involved in trafficking into prison.” Galindo nevertheless reiterated her support for imprisoning what she called “billionaire American Zionists,” whom she accused of supporting “genocidal prison systems.” She said the use of the phrase “internment camp” was invented by an unnamed journalist who “literally wants me dead.” Galindo then accused House Democrats’ campaign arm, the DCCC, of fueling the uproar and criticized the organization for backing Garcia over her. CROCKETT BLASTS ‘LEFT’ FOR ALLEGED SKIN DARKENING IN ADS AS TEXAS SENATE CLASH HEATS UP She then accused Garcia of being the “PR guy” for the “deadliest jail in all of Texas” and called him a “Zionist-backed cop-candidate.” Fox News Digital reached out to the DCCC and Garcia’s campaign for comment. In a video response, Garcia said Galindo’s comments have “no place in our Democratic Party or any place in public service.” While Galindo could not be immediately reached, she posted a direct response to the matter on her media page, addressing it to all journalists seeking comment on the matter. “Maureen never said that she wants anyone in internment camps.” The campaign said Galindo still wants the Karnes ICE facility to be refitted for “billionaire Zionists” who could practice Evangelism, Catholicism, Mormonism and not just Judaism. “It’s their behaviors and actions that will be judged,” the statement went on, adding that the retrofitting would also provide jobs to the region. TEXAS DEMOCRATS CALLED OUT OVER ‘EGREGIOUS CIRCULAR-FIRING SQUAD BEHAVIOR’ IN SENATE PRIMARY RACE Galindo shocked the body politic when she edged out Garcia in the original primary by a few points — putting her and the law enforcement official in the runoff. The district number matches that of incumbent “Squad” member Rep. Gregorio Casar of Austin, but Casar is running in adjacent Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett’s district, which also overlaps with his current seat, after Doggett said he would retire if the GOP’s new map holds up in court. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene of Oregon hit back at the situation by blaming Republicans for “propping up” the “antisemitic” Galindo. Jewish Democrats, including Reps. Jared Moskowitz of Florida and Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, also condemned Galindo. Even some on the far left condemned Galindo, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who called her comments “disgusting.”