President Donald Trump weighed in Wednesday on the growing controversy surrounding former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, questioning the rush to judgment against the Democrat just hours before Platner formally suspended his campaign.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump was asked whether Maine Democrats should be allowed to replace Platner on the ballot if he withdrew from the race against incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
“They’re picking what?” Trump responded when first asked about the possibility.
After the question was clarified, Trump noted that Platner had already secured the Democratic nomination.
“He won the primary, right? It’s very hard for them to do,” Trump said. “It’s really a question of whether or not you believe the woman. A lot of people say big falsehoods. It’s, uh — he’s in a bind. He’s in a bind.”
Trump added, “But, uh, should they be able to do it? Well, I guess he’s gonna lose. I would imagine he’s gonna lose.”
The president also commented on the different ways allegations are often received in public life.
“When a Republican woman came out with the same charge, nobody believed her,” Trump said. “When this woman came out, everybody believed her.”
Platner’s political future is rapidly collapsing.
The Democratic nominee had spent weeks fighting allegations from former partners. Earlier accusations of physical abuse from former girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield had already placed his campaign under significant pressure. Platner denied those claims.
The situation intensified after a separate allegation surfaced from another former girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, who accused Platner of sexually assaulting her in 2021. Platner denied the accusation, calling it “troubling, serious, and false.” The fallout was swift. Several prominent Democrats who had initially stood behind Platner began distancing themselves from the campaign. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders were among the national figures who had previously defended him against earlier accusations. Following the latest allegation, however, Sanders publicly called on Platner to end his Senate bid.
Minutes after Trump’s comments were reported, Platner released a video announcing he was suspending his campaign. The withdrawal immediately created uncertainty around one of the most closely watched Senate races of the 2026 election cycle.
Democrats view Maine as one of their strongest pickup opportunities as they seek to regain ground in the Senate. Republicans, meanwhile, are defending a seat held by Collins, one of the most durable and successful Republican politicians in New England.
Maine Democratic officials are now working through the process of selecting a replacement nominee. Party leaders have indicated that potential candidates will likely need to engage publicly with voters and meet qualification requirements before a nominating convention selects a new standard-bearer.
The sudden vacancy has sparked speculation about a number of possible contenders, including former elected officials and statewide officeholders who could potentially enter the race.
What had been shaping up as a traditional general election campaign has now become a scramble for Democrats to rebuild their Senate strategy in a state that could play an important role in determining the balance of power in Washington.
