Former Biden White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain has found himself at the center of a growing political firestorm after publicly defending Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner amid mounting controversy over a tattoo that critics say resembles a Nazi SS Totenkopf symbol.
The dispute exploded Wednesday after Klain responded to a social media post from the Republican Jewish Coalition criticizing Platner and urging Democrats to withdraw their support for the candidate.
Klain dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.
“This is just a partisan attack,” Klain wrote. “The tattoo was a skull and crossbones to remember his fallen comrades from his service in Afghanistan.”
That explanation immediately triggered a wave of backlash from Jewish organizations, conservative commentators, and political figures who argued Klain was minimizing concerns surrounding the tattoo and the allegations connected to it.
The controversy surrounding Platner has intensified in recent weeks after multiple individuals familiar with the Democratic nominee claimed the tattoo was not merely a generic skull-and-crossbones design but specifically resembled the Totenkopf symbol historically associated with Nazi SS units. Platner has denied that interpretation and has maintained that the tattoo was never intended as a Nazi symbol. The tattoo has since been covered.
Klain’s intervention added a new dimension to the controversy because of his own background. In addition to serving as President Joe Biden’s chief of staff from 2021 to 2023, Klain was appointed by Biden to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council in January 2025 before being removed several months later by President Donald Trump. The council oversees the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Critics argued that Klain’s experience and prior role made his defense of Platner particularly troubling.
The Republican Jewish Coalition highlighted Klain’s comments on X, writing that he was “whitewashing” the controversy despite his previous service connected to Holocaust remembrance efforts.
Others were even more direct.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman expressed disbelief that prominent Jewish political figures would defend a candidate facing accusations involving Nazi imagery. Hudson Institute adjunct fellow Josh Block accused Klain of dishonesty, while columnist Alex Zeldin urged Democrats to distance themselves from Platner rather than defend him.
Additional criticism has focused on allegations made by several of Platner’s former girlfriends, who have claimed he referred to the tattoo as “my Totenkopf” and allegedly compared his military unit to Nazi SS forces. Platner has disputed the broader allegations surrounding him and has denied other accusations that surfaced during the campaign.
Despite the controversy, Platner secured his party’s nomination and addressed the growing scrutiny during his victory speech Tuesday night.
“Redemption is not just some simple or easy destination. It’s a journey,” Platner said. “I’ve made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with, that I continue to learn from.”
He added that he continues striving to improve himself and pledged to represent ordinary citizens if elected to the Senate.
