Publisher Condemns Defense Secretary's Use of Franklin the Turtle in Violent Meme

Toronto-based publisher Kids Can Press publicly denounced Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth after he shared a cartoon image of the beloved children's character Franklin the Turtle appearing to fire a rocket-propelled grenade at an apparent drug-smuggling boat.

The image, posted to Hegseth's social media account on Sunday evening under a mock book title, "Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists," drew swift criticism as questions intensified about a months-long campaign of U.S. boat strikes around South America and reports that a subsequent strike on Sept. 2 may have targeted survivors in the water.

In a statement released the following day, Kids Can Press said Franklin "is a beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of children and stands for kindness, empathy, and inclusivity. We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin's name or image, which directly contradicts these values." The publisher noted the character appears in more than a dozen picture books and television adaptations that focus on childhood lessons and gentle values.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell responded to the controversy by saying, "We doubt Franklin the Turtle wants to be inclusive of drug cartels... or laud the kindness and empathy of narco-terrorists."

The image also drew criticism from Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, a retired Navy captain, who questioned the judgment of the defense secretary. "He is in the national command authority for nuclear weapons, and last night he's putting out, on the internet, turtles with rocket-propelled grenades," Kelly said. "This is the secretary of defense. This is not a serious person."

Allegations about the Sept. 2 Strike

Separate reporting has indicated that U.S. forces carried out more than one strike on a single vessel on Sept. 2, and that a second strike may have killed two people who survived the initial attack. Some reports allege Hegseth ordered forces to "kill everybody" aboard; the White House has confirmed there was a second strike but denied that Hegseth issued such an order.

Some Democratic lawmakers and legal experts say the reported second strike could potentially violate domestic and international law, which generally prohibit attacking wounded, sick, or otherwise hors de combat individuals who no longer pose a threat. Pentagon doctrine also instructs that "wounded, sick, or shipwrecked" combatants should not be targeted.

The administration has maintained that the boat strikes complied with the law and were necessary to disrupt illicit drug trafficking. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Adm. Frank Bradley, who commanded the Sept. 2 operation, saying he "worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated." Hegseth later posted his support for Bradley, calling him "an American hero" and affirming his confidence in the commander and his combat decisions.

The controversy underscores tensions over the imagery public officials use on social platforms and how those choices intersect with broader concerns about military conduct and accountability.