The publisher of Franklin the Turtle released a statement Monday condemning the “violent” use of the children’s book character after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted an image with the title “Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists.”
“Franklin the Turtle is a beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of children and stands for kindness, empathy, and inclusivity,” the publishing house Kids Can Press wrote in a statement posted to X.
“We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin’s name or image, which directly contradicts these values,” the statement read.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell responded to the publisher in a statement to NBC News, saying, “We doubt Franklin the Turtle wants to be inclusive of drug cartels… or laud the kindness and empathy of narco-terrorists.”
In the image Hegseth posted, Franklin is standing on a helicopter and aiming a machine gun at a boat. The post came after news reports that the Pentagon carried out a second strike on an alleged drug boat on Sept. 2, which the White House confirmed Monday.
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, blasted Hegseth over the post.
“I’ve read books to my children, but not that one apparently. This is serious business. I mean, even if it’s justified, even if it’s right, seriously, you’re killing people. And this is your response to tweet out some joke about a cartoon turtle,” Smith said.
“I mean, we need a secretary of defense who understands the seriousness and the importance of the job that he has. We don’t have one,” he added.
Smith over the weekend put out a joint statement with House Armed Services Committee chair Mike Rogers, R-Ala., in which they said the panel would provide “rigorous oversight of the Defense Department’s military operations in the Caribbean.”
The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee — Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Jack Reed, D-R.I — issued a similar statement saying they would conduct “vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.”
The White House on Monday said the strike was ordered by Adm. Frank M. Bradley, who was overseeing the operation and at the time in charge of the Joint Special Operations Command. Some lawmakers and legal experts say the second attack, which reportedly killed the survivors of an initial strike, could constitute a war crime.
Kyle Stewart contributed.
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