‘We strongly condemn’: Kids Can Press slams Defense Secretary after he co-opts children’s book character for controversial post

The company that publishes the Franklin the Turtle books has released a statement strongly criticizing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He used the children’s character to promote a violent message online. This is especially bad considering what Franklin represents.

According to Daily Dot, the problem started over the weekend when Hegseth posted what looks like an AI-created fake book cover. The image was called “Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists” and showed the turtle wearing combat gear. Instead of his usual friendly activities, this version of Franklin was shooting at three small boats with armed men, apparently meant to be drug smugglers. Hegseth shared the image with the caption “For your Christmas wish list…”

The publishers, Kids Can Press, quickly responded with a clear statement. They didn’t hold back in expressing their disapproval. Kids Can Press reminded people that Franklin stands for good values. They said “Franklin the Turtle is a beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of children and stands for kindness, empathy, and inclusivity.”

Franklin deserves better than this mess

Then they made their position crystal clear: “We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin’s name or image, which directly contradicts these values.”

The timing makes this even worse. Hegseth posted this while the Trump administration faces heavy criticism for attacks on boats they claim are carrying drugs. These operations have killed over 80 people in just three months. Many people are questioning whether these actions are legal and if the victims were actually drug dealers.

Hegseth himself has faced specific accusations during this time. Reports say he ordered a deadly second strike on one boat that killed survivors from the first U.S. attack. He later said someone else gave the order, but he defended the decision to strike. Using a children’s character to joke about this deadly situation, especially while facing these accusations, makes the post much darker.

This isn’t the first time the Trump administration has done something like this. They’ve repeatedly used copyrighted material without permission to promote their goals, forcing copyright owners to publicly criticize them. These public complaints haven’t stopped them from doing it again.

Many people praised Kids Can Press for speaking out so clearly. They were also upset by the Defense Secretary’s insensitivity. The war on drugs operations continue causing controversy, with families now filing legal complaints over the deaths. Some right-wing supporters are now making their own Franklin memes in response. It’s sad that a character meant to teach empathy has been pulled into such a dark political fight, but the publisher is right to defend their message.