Controversial Platner Secures Democratic Senate Nomination
Welcome to the US politics live blog.
Graham Platner has won the Democratic primary for the US Senate seat in Maine, urging supporters to
“believe people can change”despite his contentious candidacy.
The Marine veteran secured 72% of the vote, surpassing state governor Janet Mills, who had suspended her campaign in April but remained on the ballot, and third-place finisher David Costello, according to early results reported by .
Allegations surfaced that Platner exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women while married. Former partners described him as .
One ex-girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, a Republican operative, accused Platner of an incident over a decade ago in which he allegedly twisted her arm behind her back during an argument and confined her in a room against her will—claims Platner has categorically denied.
Addressing his supporters in Blue Hill, Platner, 41, said:
“If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and our country then you must also believe that people can change. And the reason I believe is that is because I have lived it. And the reason I have lived it is because of my wife.”
Referencing his troubled past, Platner added:
“Redemption is not just some simple or easy destination; it’s a journey. I’ve made mistakes in my life, mistakes I regret, that I live with, that I continue to learn from. I’m still far from perfect. But every day I wake up and I try to be a little bit better and a little kinder than I was the day before. And if you give me the chance, I will be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.”
He received supportive cheers when he criticized his detractors outside the campaign:
“Now, the national pundits, the political establishment, they keep looking for that one story, that one headline, that one moment in my life that they can define the campaign by. But in trying so hard to understand me, they fail to understand that this is not about me at all. This is a movement about us.”
Platner will face the Republican incumbent Susan Collins, who is seeking a sixth six-year term, in the November general election. This race is considered critical for Democrats aiming to gain control of the Senate, where Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority.
House Republicans Approve DHS Funding Amid Trump Deportation Agenda
On Tuesday, House Republicans narrowly passed a reconciliation bill by two votes to allocate an additional $70 billion over three years to the Department of Homeland Security. This funding ensures that agencies implementing former President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies remain operational until the end of his presidency.
US Conducts Retaliatory Strike Against Iran
Almost simultaneously, the US conducted a strike against Iran in response to the downing of a US helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.
US Vice-President JD Vance commented on the ongoing conflict, stating that a deal with Iran to end the war initiated by the US and Israel 102 days ago
“could happen in the next week, but the deal could also happen months from now.”
Lesley Groff Testifies Before House Oversight Committee
Lesley Groff, longtime executive assistant to Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted child sex offender with whom Donald Trump socialized for nearly two decades, testified before the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
European Confidence in US Security Guarantees Hits Historic Low
A recent survey by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) thinktank indicates that European confidence in an American security guarantee has reached a historic low. Only one in ten people across 15 countries view the US as an ally, and majorities in all surveyed countries doubt that the US would come to their aid if attacked.
The survey, conducted ahead of critical G7 and NATO summits in France and Turkey, revealed what the authors described as
“deep European distrust in the US.”
While many Europeans anticipate improved relations with Washington once President Joe Biden leaves office, there is growing readiness to enhance European defense capabilities to mitigate reliance on US support.
The report attributes this shift to US actions including Middle East military aggression, threats against Greenland, plans to withdraw troops from European bases, and skepticism regarding the future of NATO.
Jana Kobzová, co-author and ECFR senior policy fellow, stated:
“Across the continent, there’s clear support for reducing dependence on Washington. Europeans are increasingly open to higher defence spending and, crucially, show a striking degree of confidence that neighbouring countries would come to their aid in a crisis.”
Trump Advances Plan to Appoint Bill Pulte as Acting Intelligence Chief
Donald Trump is advancing his controversial plan to appoint Bill Pulte, a political loyalist, as acting director of national intelligence. This move has sparked bipartisan congressional opposition and threatens the reauthorization of a key surveillance law set to expire this week.
Trump’s announcement on Tuesday evening followed discussions with House Speaker Mike Johnson regarding Pulte’s elevation. Concerns have been raised about Pulte’s lack of national security experience and the potential use of the office’s surveillance powers to target Trump’s perceived political adversaries.
Trump stated on social media that Pulte is already working with outgoing director Tulsi Gabbard and will assume her position on 19 June while retaining his role as head of the federal mortgage agency.
Gabbard, a former congresswoman with military service and experience on a House subcommittee overseeing military intelligence, announced in April that she would step down on 30 June.
Trump did not explain why Pulte would take over prior to Gabbard’s departure but has publicly suggested that Pulte will investigate elections he has falsely claimed were
“stolen”once installed as the nation's top intelligence official.
Bill Gates to Testify Before House Committee on Epstein Ties
Bill Gates is scheduled to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Wednesday as part of its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Microsoft co-founder will appear in a closed-door session where lawmakers are expected to question him about his past association with Epstein. A transcript of the interview is anticipated to be released later.
A spokesperson for Gates stated to prior to his appearance that Gates
“welcomes the opportunity to appear before the committee”and emphasized that while he
“never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein’s illegal conduct,”he looks forward to answering all questions to support the committee’s work.
The committee, chaired by James Comer, initiated the investigation in March following the Justice Department’s release of millions of documents related to Epstein earlier this year. These files included numerous references to Gates, photographs, and records of meetings with Epstein, renewing scrutiny of Gates’s relationship with the disgraced financier.
Primary Elections Signal Mixed Directions for US Parties
Progressives rallied behind the controversial Graham Platner after his primary victory, while Donald Trump continued to exert influence over the Republican Party, aiding in the defeat of a politician who had advocated for releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Primary elections were held in four states—Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, and —ahead of the November midterms to determine control of both houses of Congress. The outcomes provided mixed indications regarding the trajectories of the two major parties.
The marquee race was the Senate primary in Maine, where Platner decisively defeated Governor Janet Mills, who had suspended her campaign but remained on the ballot, and third-place David Costello, according to early results.
This result sets the stage for a contentious general election against Republican incumbent Susan Collins. Maine is among several states where Democratic strategists consider a Republican-held seat genuinely vulnerable.
Platner, 41, a Marine veteran and oyster farmer from the small coastal town of Sullivan, had effectively secured the nomination weeks earlier when Mills suspended her campaign after concluding she had little chance of overtaking him.
