The Ben Shapiro Show Ep. 2301

"A Democratic Senate Candidate With A NAZI Tattoo?!"
Date: October 22, 2025
Host: Ben Shapiro
Notable Guest: Eli Shirabi (hostage survivor, author of Hostage)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on a political and cultural firestorm surrounding Maine’s Democratic Senate candidate, Graham Platner, whose Nazi-associated tattoo and controversial past have rocked the party. Ben Shapiro breaks down the scandal’s impact, left-wing responses, broader Democratic extremism, and Republican controversies. The episode also features a powerful interview with hostage survivor Eli Shirabi, shedding light on the realities of living under Hamas captivity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Graham Platner’s Nazi-Associated Tattoo Scandal

• [06:20] Shapiro introduces the controversy: Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, described as a Bernie Sanders-style radical progressive, is revealed to have a Nazi SS Totenkopf (Death’s Head) tattoo on his chest.
• Platner tries to pre-empt the blowback by releasing a drunk, shirtless video of himself with the tattoo visible, explaining the circumstances of acquiring it while inebriated and deployed in Croatia as a Marine:

“I am not a secret Nazi...If I was trying to hide it, I’ve not been doing a very good job for the past 18 years.” – Graham Platner (quoting in interview with Pod Save America, [08:30])

• Inconsistencies noted:
  • Former acquaintances, including a one-time political director and a former D.C. friend, state Platner was aware of the symbol’s Nazi meaning as far back as 2012 ([10:05]).
  • On Reddit, Platner previously defended Nazi-style “lightning bolt” tattoos as Marine imagery and downplayed connections to white supremacy ([12:15]).
  • Platner's campaign marred by resurfaced Reddit posts with racist and dismissive commentary on sexual assault ([13:11]).

2. Political and Media Reaction

• [14:00] Despite the uproar, prominent left-wing figures stand by Platner.
  • Bernie Sanders:

  “I personally think that he is an excellent candidate. I'm going to support him and look forward to him becoming the next senator in the state of Maine.” ([15:18])

  • John Lovett of Pod Save America mocks demands for “perfect candidates” ([15:10]).
  • Shapiro highlights left-wing double standards: quick to condemn Republicans for minor associations, yet defending a candidate with inflammatory, “cancel-worthy” baggage ([16:04]).
• Some Democrats criticize Platner, but party leadership continues to back him, focusing on maintaining Senate control rather than moral consistency.

3. Further Examples of Democratic Double Standards

• [17:35] Ben discusses VA Attorney General candidate Jay Jones (Democrat) issuing violent texts yet facing little blowback.
• Elizabeth Warren’s support for the senior progressive Ed Markey over younger, moderate Seth Moulton is examined as an example of the Democratic Party’s embrace of radicalism ([19:15]).

4. Calls for Consistent Condemnations Across Party Lines

• Shapiro insists that both parties must self-police immoral behavior instead of relying on partisan double standards ([20:08]).
  • Reference to a Trump nominee, Paul Ingracia, being dropped due to past racist and Nazi-comments ([21:22]).

5. Government Shutdown and Partisan Narratives

• [22:48] Republicans and Democrats are locked in blame over an ongoing government shutdown.
  • Fetterman: Advocates for nuking the filibuster to reopen the government ([28:45]).
  • Trump: Accuses Democrats of holding government “hostage” and frames the shutdown as Democrat-driven ([30:13]).

  “Chuck Schumer and the radical left Democrats are holding the entire federal government hostage to appease the extremists in their party.” – President Trump ([31:11])

• Democrats counter that Republicans are prioritizing foreign aid and wealthy interests over working families’ health care ([32:18] – Sen. Chris Van Hollen).

6. White House East Wing Reconstruction: Manufactured Outrage

• Trump administration begins demolition and rebuild of the East Wing into a grand ballroom, funded by private donors ([24:00]).
  • Some Democrats portray the visible construction as a metaphor for political chaos ([25:10]).
  • Shapiro runs through the history of White House renovations to dispel the manufactured narrative ([26:20]).
  • Trump:

  “For more than 150 years, every president has dreamt about having a ballroom at the White House...” ([24:19], paraphrasing remarks)

7. Foreign Policy: Gaza Strip, Hamas, and Hostage Crisis

• [39:14] Trump and Kushner tout US-led Gaza ceasefire and plans for rebuilding, but only in non-Hamas-controlled zones.

  • Trump asserts:

  “If Hamas doesn’t honor the deal, they’ll be taken care of very quickly.” ([39:37])

  • Kushner: Only international stabilization forces, not Israel or Hamas, will be allowed to administer rebuilding ([40:30]).

• Shapiro debunks claims of Israeli “genocide” in Gaza, citing new data on starvation and graduation rates amid war ([42:50]).

  • Israel releases footage of ongoing Hamas atrocities in Gaza.

8. Notable Interview: Eli Shirabi, Former Hamas Hostage

[46:32–57:22]

Eli Shirabi’s Testimony – Memorable Moments:

• A harrowing account of being kidnapped on October 7, 2023:

  “Ten terrorists from Hamas arrived to our house, invaded...kidnapped me and murdered my wife and my two daughters. They are British citizens. Murdered them with their British passport in their hands.” – Eli Shirabi ([46:45])

• Life in Hamas captivity:

  “…Been in Hamas tunnels, 50 meters underground… no running water, no soap, you wash yourself every six weeks with half a bucket of cold water…humiliations and violence and the starvation was the worst thing ever.” ([51:05])

• On Hamas ideology:

  “They said two things. First, they keep coming back to Israel to kill all of us. They don’t care if it takes 100 or 200 years. And after they finish with Israelis, they come to Britain and France and Germany and US…all the world should be Muslims…” ([50:23])

• Message for the West:

  “People need to understand that Hamas is a terror organization, very fundamentalist jihad…they have no boundaries, not at all.” ([49:27])

• Coping in captivity:

  “You can’t wake up every morning and expect to go home today…You have to have a routine so the time will pass without going insane. So we prayed every morning, we trained, we talked, we sang, kept hope.” ([52:40])

• On divisions in Israel and the West:

  “They were really proud that we are dividing in Israel…for them, it was a victory.” ([54:28])

• On the future in Gaza:

  “I’m not an expert…I’m just happy that first of all the all day life hostages came back to their families...now we can start to heal a little bit from this.” ([56:02])

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• Ben Shapiro, on Platner’s explanation:

  “I don’t know how many people accidentally have Nazi symbols tattooed on their chests. I feel like the number is relatively low...” ([09:32])

• Bernie Sanders, on Platner:

  “I personally think he’s an excellent candidate. I’m going to support him and look forward to him becoming the next senator in the state of Maine.” ([15:18])

• John Lovett (Pod Save America), on candidate vetting:

  “Only perfect candidates off the Harvard Law conveyor belt, please…” ([15:10])

• Platner’s former campaign director:

  “Maybe he didn’t know when he got it, but…he should have had it covered up because you know damn well what it means.” ([12:54])

• Ben Shapiro, on left-wing double standards:

  “…the same people on the left demanding every Republican condemn every young Republican even tangentially associated with an ugly text thread...are now out defending Graham Platner today.” ([16:04])

• President Trump, on the government shutdown:

  “The radical left Democrats are holding the entire federal government hostage to appease the extremists in their party.” ([31:11])

• Eli Shirabi, on his captivity:

  “They starved us, they chained us, they beat us, they humiliated us every day.” ([49:27])
  “For them, all the world should be Muslims, and there's only one religion in the world. It's Islam.” ([50:23])

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------------|:-------------:| | Graham Platner Nazi tattoo scandal—origins & fallout | 06:20 – 14:00 | | Democratic/media reaction & double standards | 14:00 – 17:00 | | Broader Democratic extremism/examples | 17:35 – 21:15 | | Government shutdown politics | 22:48 – 33:00 | | White House reconstruction controversy | 24:00 – 26:40 | | Foreign policy: Gaza and Hamas | 39:14 – 46:32 | | Interview with Eli Shirabi (hostage survivor) | 46:32 – 57:22 |

Tone and Style

Ben Shapiro maintains a fast-paced, combative, and often sarcastic tone throughout the episode. He uses vivid language (“radical, insane communist”, “scuzz bag”, “clinical moron”), sharp argumentation, and frequent references to hypocrisy on the left. The testimony from Eli Shirabi is sobering, direct, and emotionally powerful, providing a humanizing counterpoint to the political analysis.

Summary Value

This episode is essential listening for anyone following the intersection of present-day Democratic politics, political hypocrisy, and the reality of international terror as experienced through firsthand account. The episode vividly dissects an unfolding political scandal and offers a raw, unfiltered portrait of living under terrorism, all while maintaining the show’s characteristic clarity and argumentative edge.