The widow of American sniper Chris Kyle is publicly blasting Maine Democrat Senate hopeful Graham Platner after resurfaced comments revealed the candidate accused the late Navy SEAL of deliberately killing civilians during combat.
Taya Kyle did not hold back during an interview with Fox News on Sunday, calling Platner’s remarks “cowardly,” “lowbrow,” and nothing more than a desperate political stunt designed to generate attention.
“To me, nothing says, ‘I want attention’ more than disparaging a national hero who’s also dead,” Taya said. “It’s transparent, it’s cowardly, it’s lowbrow to lie about somebody else.”
Chris Kyle remains one of the most recognizable military figures of the post-9/11 era. The Navy SEAL sniper, whose battlefield record in Iraq earned him the nickname “The Legend” among fellow service members, was credited with the highest number of confirmed sniper kills in U.S. military history. His memoir American Sniper later became a bestselling book and major Hollywood film.
Kyle was murdered in 2013 by a fellow veteran suffering from severe PTSD whom he had been attempting to help.
The controversy surrounding Platner erupted after clips resurfaced from a 2024 podcast in which the Democrat suggested Kyle intentionally targeted civilians in order to increase his kill count. The comments immediately triggered outrage among veterans, conservatives, and military families.
For Taya Kyle, the issue goes far beyond politics.
“My kids are 21 and 20 — they’re grown adults, and I wish I could tell you that it doesn’t hurt, but it does,” she explained.
She also made clear that Platner never personally knew her husband and accused him of exploiting Chris Kyle’s legacy for political relevance.
“It’s this cheap political trick to say, ‘Ya know, I haven’t done a whole lot, so let me attach my name to somebody who’s beloved, and if nothing else, I’ll get out in the news,’” she said.
Taya added that the episode demonstrated a complete lack of character and leadership qualities, saying she could not imagine supporting a candidate willing to attack a deceased war hero for publicity.
The backlash has not been limited to the Kyle family.
Retired Navy SEAL Robert O’Neill — widely known as the man who killed Osama bin Laden during the 2011 raid in Pakistan — also condemned Platner’s remarks. O’Neill suggested the comments reflected jealousy toward Chris Kyle’s military accomplishments and public recognition.
“That would just stem from jealousy,” O’Neill said. “Professional jealousy exists, but stuff like this is really, really rare between veterans.”
As the controversy grows, Platner is also facing scrutiny over additional resurfaced comments and images from his online history.
One set of Reddit comments allegedly showed Platner mocking Purple Heart recipient Ted Daniels and saying Daniels “didn’t deserve to live” following a brutal firefight in Afghanistan. Daniels has since publicly demanded that prominent Democrats explain why they continue supporting a candidate who mocked wounded combat veterans.
Adding to the political firestorm are resurfaced images allegedly showing Platner with a tattoo linked to Nazi symbolism, generating yet another round of criticism and questions surrounding the candidate’s past conduct.
The mounting controversies now threaten to overshadow Platner’s Senate campaign entirely as critics argue the pattern of comments reflects hostility toward military veterans and deeply questionable judgment.
