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Platner’s brutal attacks on Army soldiers as ‘fat, lazy’ revealed in resurfaced posts

Platner’s brutal attacks on Army soldiers as ‘fat, lazy’ revealed in resurfaced posts

Graham Platner, the Democrat’s presumptive nominee for Senate in Maine, described the United States Army as “absolute trash” and “full of fat, lazy trash who would rather not be in uniform” in posts on his now-deleted Reddit account. “I spent another 4 in the Army after the Corps, and while I was very lucky to serve in some sh–t hot units with good dudes, as a whole the organization is absolute trash,” Platner wrote in April 2019. “I am not one to totally bad mouth the Army. It does have some squared away fighting units and good guys, as well as some better doctrine here and there. But it is absolutely lacking in the warrior ethos and leadership obsession that the Corps has, and generally attracts a lower standard of person.” The resurfaced posts include a separate 2019 comment about wounded Army veteran Teddy Daniels, who was shot by the Taliban and later awarded the Purple Heart. In that post, Platner criticized Daniels’ battlefield tactics and wrote that the “dumb motherf—er didn’t deserve to live.” Platner’s comments about Daniels and other now-deleted Reddit posts — including posts in which he used slurs, demeaned white rural Americans and identified as a Marxist — have become a major campaign issue in the Maine Senate race, where he seeks to unseat GOP incumbent Sen. Susan Collins. VETERAN WHO SERVED IN MIDDLE EASTERN WARS LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN AGAINST SEN. SUSAN COLLINS Platner served in the Marine Corps and the Maryland Army National Guard, where he completed multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is not uncommon for members of one branch of the armed forces to be harshly critical of other branches.   “The Army does things differently, and as a whole, they do things much worse,” Platner wrote in March 2019. “As an organization it’s awful. Full of fat, lazy trash who would rather not be in uniform.” Platner wasn’t exclusively negative, as he praised the Army for having “some solid light infantry, reconnaissance, and SOF units that are s— hot, as well as access to some great schools.” He was also open about the necessity of internal criticism within the armed forces. “Civilians can be as dumb f–k ret—ed as they want, but WE have a duty to be brutally honest,” Platner wrote in 2013. “I want civilians to think our ability to fight is unmatched, but I also want us to be brutal in our internal criticism.” DELETED POSTS URGING VIOLENCE HAUNT DEMOCRATIC SENATE HOPEFUL IN MAINE RACE The Washington Free Beacon first reported on Platner’s disparaging comments directed towards the Army. The posts were made under the Reddit account “P-Hustle,” which Platner has previously acknowledged as his. “I’m sorry for this. Just know that it’s not reflective at all of who I am,” Platner said of his resurfaced Reddit posts back in October. “I don’t want you to judge me on the dumbest thing I ever wrote on the internet. I would prefer if people could judge me on the person I am today.” In 2019, Platner reacted to a video of an American soldier being shot by the Taliban by stating that the “dumb motherf—er didn’t deserve to live.” Platner’s post criticized the soldier, who was later awarded the Purple Heart, for utilizing poor tactics. The Senate hopeful’s commentary has attracted criticism from some other veterans. DEM PRIMARY TURNS UGLY: MILLS UNLEASHES BRUTAL ATTACK ON SANDERS-BACKED PLATNER IN CRUCIAL SENATE SHOWDOWN “We don’t make jokes about our brothers and sisters dying, that’s not something we do, that’s not normal,” Adam Schwarze, a former Navy SEAL and Marine veteran running for Senate as a Republican in Minnesota, said of Platner. MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE CITES COMBAT TRAUMA WHEN CONFRONTED ON ‘TERRIBLE’ POSTS ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT Platner attributes his behavior to psychological trauma he developed from being deployed to the Middle East, as well as the “crude humor” he had gotten used to while in the Marines. The Senate hopeful’s controversial statements about the military haven’t been confined to Reddit. During a 2024 podcast interview, Platner implied that deceased Navy SEAL Chris Kyle killed civilians to inflate his numbers. “[Kyle’s] stories about how many people he was shooting certainly tracked with the behavior I witnessed,” Platner said. “It’s relatively easy to get high numbers like that if you’re a little less discriminating in your fire than, say, a more professional unit would be.” He also accused Navy SEALs of being generally incompetent on his Reddit account, though he had kind words for the Army Rangers.  “Graham Platner’s vicious attacks on wounded service members and open contempt for the Army are disgusting and disqualifying,” National Republican Senatorial Committee press secretary Bernadette Breslin told Fox News Digital. “The more we learn about him, the more his top Democrat allies like Elizabeth Warren are forced to dodge questions on why they ever supported him in the first place.” The Platner campaign did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Thursday.

Havana regime in suspense after Castro indictment with Trump pressure on, says Cuban-born GOP Rep.

Havana regime in suspense after Castro indictment with Trump pressure on, says Cuban-born GOP Rep.

Cuban despot Raul Castro’s federal indictment is likely sparking paranoia inside the regime as officials look at what has happened to other despots this year, the one member of Congress who personally experienced the dictatorship’s terror told Fox News Digital. Though no longer Cuba’s formal leader since Miguel Diaz-Canel took over in 2021, Raul Castro still holds a tighter grip on the levers of power in Havana than the island’s established government, House Homeland Security Committee member Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., said. Gimenez said the indictment, while long overdue, could bring some measure of justice to the families of Americans killed in the 1996 downing of two humanitarian aircraft in the Strait of Florida. Gimenez said Castro intentionally targeted a group that searched the sea almost daily for Cuban refugees attempting the 90-mile trip to the congressional district he now represents, spanning South Dade to the Keys. OBAMA’S BASEBALL OUTING WITH CASTRO REIGNITES FURY AFTER TRUMP DOJ DROPS HAMMER ON CUBAN LEADER “We have him on tape saying [he did it],” Gimenez said of Castro — indicted on Cuban Independence Day. “We cannot tolerate any regime murdering American citizens wherever they may be.” Asked whether Cuba may see a mission similar to the one in Venezuela, where U.S. forces extracted an indicted dictator, Gimenez said every situation is different even if the actors are ideologically and criminally similar. “I think that the president’s going to let this kind of percolate for a while and also continue the pressure on the regime that we’ve been exerting,” he said, agreeing with fellow Miamian Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the Castro/Diaz-Canel regime is collapsing under its own failure. The suspense — coming amid additional arrests of regime allies stateside and Castro’s charges Wednesday — is proverbially killing the Cuban government, he said. “The island goes dark for hours and so I think [President Donald Trump’s] going to let it percolate for a while. I’m sure that he is drawing up plans for every contingency. He now has the legal authority to come in and try to arrest him, but I don’t think he is going to do that right away.” Unlike Venezuela or Iran, America has a home base in Cuba — Guantanamo Bay. But Gimenez — who recently visited the compound, and therefore his homeland, for the first time in more than 60 years since fleeing at age 6 — said the geopolitics are such that Gitmo is helpful but not the end-all. CUBAN OFFICIAL REVEALS MILITARY ‘PREPARING’ FOR CONFLICT AFTER TRUMP CONSIDERS ‘TAKING’ ISLAND Guantanamo lies on the opposite side of Cuba from Havana, so U.S. assets would need to be positioned closer in the event of any incursion. “Just in case,” he said. “If something were to happen and the people rise up – so that Raul Castro doesn’t sleep very well at night; not knowing if our helicopters are coming for him.” He said the best idea at present is creating an environment of constant psychological pressure for the regime — so that they are “looking out and [not] inward as much – thinking that somehow, Uncle Sam is just outside there, floating in the water with a big aircraft carrier.” Gimenez said the U.S. government appears “actually serious this time – the first time any administration is taking the kind of action against one of the Castros.” In prior comments, Gimenez referenced an Orange Bowl event attended by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright shortly after the murders, where the Clinton administration promised a response. Therefore, protesters risking their lives in the streets may feel real change is afoot, Gimenez said, and that unlike in past administrations, the feds will “have their back.” RUBIO SAYS CUBA NEEDS ‘NEW PEOPLE IN CHARGE’ AS BLACKOUTS, UNREST GRIP ISLAND “[The regime doesn’t] wholesale kill thousands of people [like Iran] but they do put thousands of people in prison; torture them … Let’s see what’s going to happen inside the island with the Cuban people themselves.” The administration also has a vocal Havana hawk in Rubio, the son of Cuban emigres. Shortly after the interview, the feds in Miami detained the head of GAESA, Cuba’s public-private military-led entity that Gimenez said is the true lever of power in Havana. DHS then revoked Adys Lastres-Morera’s green card. Diaz-Canel is a figurehead, Gimenez said, noting Castro leads GAESA and therefore is the end-all. Gimenez quipped that his Miami colleague Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart made the point that “presidents” of Cuba essentially mean nothing – when he asked another interviewer if they had heard of a past president not named Castro. Diaz-Balart also noted that his brother, former Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., wrote to the Clinton administration in 1996 demanding action, but none came. POST-MADURO, PRESSURE BUILDS ON MEXICO OVER CUBA’S NEW OIL LIFELINE “So, in the case of GAESA, it is run by military officers under the control of [the] Castros [and] controls 70% of Cuba’s economy… It shows you that there is a government inside a government,” Gimenez said. He argued the estimated $16 billion held by GAESA self-enriches the regime while ordinary Cubans face economic collapse and private industry fails. In a Spanish-language statement, Rubio noted GAESA is the reason the island has been “plundered” by its government – not from any alleged U.S. oil blockade. As Gimenez and Rubio spoke, congressional support for the indictment was already building. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told Fox News military intervention in Havana should never be off the table. “Raul Castro – he’s killed Americans, and I’m so glad he’s indicted,” Scott said, adding that a 16-year-old was recently imprisoned for complaining his family lost electricity — agreeing an uprising may be in the offing. Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., who represents the U.S.-Cuban diaspora in Calle Ocho, said her community waited 65 years and 10 U.S. presidents to express this “message to the Castros.” “It’s time for you guys to go.” Now, with Castro’s indictment and the predictions of Gimenez, Diaz-Balart and others, Cuban Independence Day

WATCH: House Dems unload on Texas Democrat over ‘demented’ antisemitic comments

WATCH: House Dems unload on Texas Democrat over ‘demented’ antisemitic comments

House Democrats publicly distanced themselves from Texas congressional candidate Maureen Galindo for her recent remarks calling for ICE detention centers to be turned into prisons for “American Zionists.”  “Maureen Galindo is a moral disgrace who has no business running for, let alone holding, elected office,” Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital. “So she should withdraw from the race out of shame.” “That kind of rhetoric has no place in our politics and we should not accept that kind of antisemitism here in the House of Representatives,” Rep. John Olszewski, D-Md., said. “There’s no world in which I can support a candidate like that.“ “She must be crazy — something wrong with her,” Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y. said. “That’s demented.” MICHIGAN SENATE RACE: EL-SAYED’S TIES TO EXTREMIST FUEL ANTISEMITISM CONCERNS AMONG JEWISH VOTERS The backlash comes after Galindo posted to her social media pledging to turn ICE detention centers into a “prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers,” which drew accusations of antisemitism from both parties. In the same Instagram post, she also said the prison will be used as a castration center for pedophiles, “which will probably be most of the Zionists.” Some House Democrats told Fox News Digital it was the first time they were hearing of Galindo’s controversy, or dodged giving their take on the matter. “I’m sorry, I’m late for committee,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., said. “This is the first I’m hearing about it, but I think anyone saying that is problematic,” Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., said. “I have no idea about Texas,” Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., said.   Top Democrats have also accused Republicans of helping elevate Galindo’s candidacy in Texas’ 35th Congressional District. The seat is currently held by a Democrat, with Republicans hoping to pick up the seat in the November midterms. ARIZONA DEM TEARS INTO HER OWN PARTY OVER TREND THAT SHE DEEMS ANTISEMITIC: ‘SICK AND TIRED’ The attempt to shift the blame to Republicans comes after accusations have circulated that super PAC “Lead Left,” which has spent roughly $900,000 promoting Galindo, has ties to the Republican Party.  No public proof has emerged showing Republican control of the PAC. Still, leading House Democrats were quick to call out the GOP for any potential ties. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a joint statement that “MAGA extremists should be ashamed of themselves.” “This is disgusting, and it absolutely has to be condemned — these comments,” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said. “I think what also needs to be condemned is Republicans putting a million dollars behind her. Why do Republicans want her to win?” Galindo also said in the post that when elected into Congress, she will work to pass legislation that all Zionism and support of Zionism will be considered antisemitic. She herself has denied allegations of being antisemitic, but says she is opposed to “Zionist Jews.” “I think it’s very clear that we all have to take a stand against antisemitism,” Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., said when asked about Galindo’s comments. Since the firestorm that has come from these posts, Galindo has since posted a video to Facebook addressing the antisemitic accusations, claiming she never called for Jewish people to be imprisoned but that she wants to “put billionaire American Zionists who are funding the genocidal prison systems involved in trafficking into prison.” MAMDANI’S RISE, ‘VILE HATRED’ OF US JEWS THE FOCUS OF ‘CRITICAL’ CLOSED-DOOR CONGRESSIONAL HUDDLE “I’m against all internment camps and would like to see them all shut down ASAP, starting with the many in South Texas,” Galindo said, referring to ICE detention centers. Galindo will go face-to-face against congressional candidate Johnny Garcia on Tuesday in the Texas Democratic primary.  “She won’t make it here,” Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, said when asked if he would pursue moving to expel her from Congress if elected. “I’m confident that the people in that district, much of which I represented for a decade, will stand with Johnny.

Military families demand DOJ distribute nearly $800M from French cement company found guilty of bribing ISIS

Military families demand DOJ distribute nearly 0M from French cement company found guilty of bribing ISIS

In November 2017, Chief Petty Officer Kenton Stacy was injured in Raqqa, Syria while clearing the second floor of a hospital that ISIS had booby trapped with explosives.  Now a quadriplegic, Stacy, his wife Lindsey, and their 4 children are part of a lawsuit brought by military families against the French cement company, Lafarge, recently found guilty by a French Court of paying millions of dollars in bribes to ISIS to keep their factory open in ISIS-controlled territory in Syria.  “I mean, they were essentially funneling money to fund terrorists and ISIS and all these heinous crimes and evil acts,” Lindsey Stacy told Fox News while standing by the side of her husband, the former Navy Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialist, who just had another surgery to deal with injuries sustained in Syria 9 years ago.  “It’s very overwhelming, Kenton struggles mentally and physically with his own battles and the kids and I. We have our own struggles,” she continued. “It’s hard to juggle, especially when our oldest son has cerebral palsy, and he requires his own 24-7 care.” SENATORS CALL ON BIDEN TO BRIEF UPPER CHAMBER ON EFFORTS TO RETURN AUSTIN TICE FROM SYRIA President Trump praised Stacy’s service to the nation in his 2018 State of the Union Address to Congress. Army Staff Sergeant Justin Peck bounded into a booby-trapped building to rescue Kenton and then gave him more than 2 hours of CPR while medics worked to save his life. “Kenton Stacy would have died if not for Justin’s selfless love for a fellow warrior. Tonight, Kenton is recovering in Texas. Raqqa is liberated.…All of America salutes you.” In a landmark ruling in April, a French court convicted Lafarge, the world’s largest cement manufacturer, of providing material support to a terror group and sentenced its former CEO to 6 years in prison. Eight former Lafarge employees were found guilty. Lafarge is appealing. The company acknowledged the court’s finding describing the issue as a “legacy matter,” which was “in flagrant violation of Lafarge’s Code of Conduct.” Nearly 1,000 plaintiffs, most of them military families, are part of earlier litigation in the Eastern District of New York. “They were killed in Syria by a gruesome terrorist organization that was funded in part by Lafarge. And that’s not an allegation. That is undisputed fact. Lafarge pled guilty to doing that in 2022.” Todd Toral, the lawyer from Jenner & Block, is representing Stacy and about 25 other families. Toral, who is also a US Marine, is seeking compensation for those families from the $777 million Lafarge paid to the Justice Department as part of the settlement. The DOJ has had that money since Oct 2022. “I think the ruling by the court in France is significant generally, because it’s the first time in many, many years that a corporation, and not just the corporation, but executives at a corporation have been held to account for their misconduct in aiding terrorism,” Toral said in an interview with Fox. In order to operate in ISIS-controlled areas of Syria, Lafarge paid more than $6.5 million to ISIS from 2013–2014 through its Syrian subsidiary to keep production facilities running. The cement produced at its factory in Jalabiya, a factory which was bought for $680 million months before the Syrian uprising began in 2011, was also used for tunnels and bunkers, which helped the terrorist group. The lawsuit is significant because it marks the first time a company has faced U.S. charges for supporting a terrorist group. DOJ ACCELERATES SETTLEMENT OFFERS IN CAMP LEJEUNE WATER CONTAMINATION CASES In October 2022, Lafarge settled with the DOJ before the French ruling, paying more than $777 million into an asset forfeiture fund currently controlled by the DOJ, funds which are supposed to compensate victims of the ISIS attacks, many of them American Gold Star families, like Hailey Dayton, whose father was the first American killed by ISIS in Syria on Thanksgiving Day 2016. “I was 15 when my dad was killed,” Hailey Dayton told Fox from her home in Florida. “I saw six guys in Navy white step out of the van. I got so excited because I thought my dad came back to surprise us. I remember opening the door, huge smile on my face, and I was looking at the men, trying to find my dad and I didn’t find, I didn’t see him, but instead I saw six guys with tears in their eyes.”  The Biden Justice Department denied requests to distribute the Lafarge funds while the case was still pending before a French Court. Lafarge was found guilty by that court in April. In February, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., pressed then-Attorney General Pam Bondi on when the DOJ planned to release the funds to the families. “In February 2025, my colleagues and I sent you a letter urging the department to review the petitions for remission submitted by the families of those fallen service members, including several of my constituents. The previous administration ignored these victims and our requests and left their petitions unresolved,” Biggs asked Bondi during a Congressional hearing. “Congressman, we are aware of that and we’re committed to doing everything we can to support the victims and work with you. Thank you for that question,” Bondi replied. That was more than a year ago and the DOJ has still not distributed the compensation funds. Now the plaintiffs, most of them military families, say the decision to release the funds rests with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “I don’t know why. I don’t know why they’re ignoring us. To me, it feels like being a pawn. My dad, he went in when he was 19, he served 23 years,” Dayton, the Gol Star daughter of Chief Petty Officer Scott Dayton, said. “To the current Department of Justice, I would, say, make things right.”  Lindsey Stacy, who says she and her family have difficulty making ends meet given Kenton Stacy’s severe injuries, added, “There’s a lot of families out there that could benefit