Graham Platner, the controversial Democratic candidate running for the seat held by incumbent U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), attacked the Appropriations Chair for not asking Trump’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about Iran while he defended the Pentagon’s $1.5 trillion budget request for FY 2027.
Platner wrote: “Pete Hegseth went in front of an Appropriations subcommittee today. Susan Collins is Appropriations Chair. She did not ask him even ONE question about Iran. Spineless. Susan Collins is a spineless Senator who refuses to stand up for working Mainers being crushed by costs.”
Pete Hegseth went in front of an Appropriations subcommittee today. Susan Collins is Appropriations Chair.
She did not ask him even ONE question about Iran.
Spineless. Susan Collins is a spineless Senator who refuses to stand up for working Mainers being crushed by costs.
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) May 12, 2026
The digital media editor of The Maine Wire, Graham Pollard, responded to Platner’s post, accusing him of “absurd gaslighting” and sharing video of Collins asking General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about Iran.
As seen below, Collins asked if the Department “anticipated the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting impact on oil supplies” around the world when it first planned its military attacks against Iran.
Just absurd gaslighting. She asked Hegseth about shipbuilding at BIW.
She asked General Kaine about Iran: pic.twitter.com/7Ez25xWLK2
— Graham Pollard (@GrahamMaineWire) May 12, 2026
Caine said: “We always look at the range of military branches and sequels. I won’t comment on any particular one because that gets to whatever advice I may or may not have given to the President, and I do that in private.”
[NOTE: The Portland Press Herald also reported on Tuesday’s hearing: “Collins’ questions focused on the fact that Trump’s budget requested only 1 destroyer from General Dynamics Bath Iron Works,” a company in Bath, Maine that designs, builds and maintains U.S. Navy ships. (Hegseth said “We look forward to ordering DDGs into the future.”)]