Publisher condemns 'violent' use of Franklin the Turtle after Pete Hegseth's boat strike post

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had posted what appeared to be an AI-generated image of the children's character firing at a boat with "narco terrorists."

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 on 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 Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell responded to the publisher in a statement, 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 stands on a helicopter and aims a machine gun at a boat. The post followed news reports that the Pentagon carried out a second strike on an alleged drug boat on Sept. 2, which the White House confirmed Monday.