WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump launched harsh verbal attacks against Graham Platner on Wednesday, branding the Maine Senate hopeful a “thug” and a “pig” while accusing Democrats of double standards for supporting a candidate facing questions about his past behavior toward women.
The criticism appeared ironic given Trump’s own history of alleged misconduct with women, including recorded comments about grabbing women by the genitals and a New York jury’s finding that he committed sexual abuse.
Trump has also backed numerous Republican candidates despite their personal controversies, yet criticized Democrats for similar support.
“He’s a thug, and they’re trying to make excuses for him,” Trump stated regarding top Democrats. “I mean, he’s worse than any human being that’s ever run for office, probably.”
Platner secured the Democratic nomination Tuesday night amid controversy over several issues, including previous inflammatory social media posts, a covered-up tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol, and sexually explicit messages sent to women after his marriage. He will challenge five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.
When asked about Trump’s remarks, Platner’s campaign responded that the candidate was concentrating on Maine’s challenges.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee responded by targeting Collins, viewed as among the most vulnerable senators seeking reelection this cycle.
“Susan Collins is facing backlash in Maine after voting with Trump 96 percent of the time, being the decisive vote for the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, and selling out to the special interests that fund her campaigns after three decades in the Senate, and that’s why Trump praised her today in the Oval Office,” spokesperson Josh Marcus-Blank said in a statement.
The White House backed Trump’s statements by highlighting Platner’s social media history.
“Graham Platner proudly referred to himself as a ‘communist,’ called all police ‘bastards,’ and said rural White Americans ‘actually are’ racist and stupid. President Trump is absolutely correct that Platner is both a thug and a pig. Attempting to compare President Trump to Graham Platner is exactly why trust in legacy media outlets like the failing Associated Press is at an all-time low,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement.
During White House remarks while signing immigration and deportation funding legislation, Trump told reporters, “Nobody’s ever had a record like that.”
“He’s like a pig,” the president declared, joking that perhaps “pigs would be very upset” to be linked with Platner, prompting laughter from Republican lawmakers present in the Oval Office.
Trump also referenced his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, attempting to portray Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer as hypocritical by saying he “goes crazy over this or that or Epstein, Epstein, Epstein” but should focus on Platner instead.
Trump later asked, “Can you imagine if the Republicans had him?”
Beyond the allegations Trump has confronted over time, Republicans have fielded candidates accused of serious misconduct who still received Trump’s endorsement.
This year, the president endorsed Republican Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton over incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn, despite Paxton facing state and federal corruption probes and a 2023 state impeachment trial where he was cleared but his extramarital affair became public. Paxton has called wrongdoing allegations politically motivated.
Trump also maintained his endorsement of 2017 Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, who faced accusations of sexual misconduct with teenage girls from decades past. Trump cited Moore’s denials and said his vote was essential for Republican goals. Moore’s defeat resulted in Alabama’s first Democratic senator in 25 years.
He supported 2024 North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson and refused to withdraw backing after CNN revealed the candidate made lewd and racist remarks on a pornography website — though he attempted to create distance. Robinson, who later admitted to making the posts, lost decisively in the swing state.
He similarly maintained support for Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales this year after the congressman admitted to an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide. Gonzales ended his reelection campaign, and Trump subsequently endorsed another candidate.
Trump also selected officials for his second-term Cabinet and other important positions who faced accusations of sexual misconduct.
This includes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who faced sexual assault allegations and denied them, and Trump’s original attorney general pick, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who was subject to a Justice Department sex trafficking investigation and a House Ethics Committee probe into sexual misconduct.
Gaetz denied any wrongdoing and removed his name from consideration. The DOJ investigation concluded without federal charges against him.
