The Canadian publisher of the Franklin the Turtle children's book series has condemned U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for using the character's image in a violent meme shared on social media. On Sunday, Hegseth posted a manipulated image of Franklin, dressed in military gear, leaning out of a helicopter and firing a rocket launcher at three smaller boats below, which appeared to be loaded with cargo and armed individuals. The meme was titled "Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists," likely referencing recent U.S. military actions against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific. Hegseth captioned the post, "For your Christmas wish list..." The post has garnered over 168,000 likes and 24,000 shares as of Tuesday morning. In a statement released on Monday, Kids Can Press, the publisher, emphasized that Franklin is a beloved Canadian character who represents kindness, empathy, and inclusivity. The statement read, "We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin’s name or image, which directly contradicts these values." The Franklin the Turtle series was created by author Paulette Bourgeois and illustrator Brenda Clark in 1986 and has since expanded to include 29 books. Sharron Jennings took over writing duties in the early 2000s, contributing an additional 25 books. On Monday night, the Pentagon appeared to support Hegseth's actions. Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell stated, "We doubt Franklin the Turtle wants to be inclusive of drug cartels… or laud the kindness and empathy of narco-terrorists." Democratic lawmakers quickly criticized the meme. Arizona Senator Mark Kelly remarked that Hegseth "is not a serious person," noting his position in the national command authority for nuclear weapons. He added, "He is putting out, on the internet, turtles with rocket-propelled grenades." Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer labeled Hegseth as "a national embarrassment," stating, "Tweeting memes in the middle of a potential armed conflict is something no serious military leader would ever even think of doing." Representative Adam Smith of Washington questioned the appropriateness of joking about violence, saying, "And this is your response to tweet out some joke about a cartoon turtle?" The meme surfaced shortly after reports indicated that Hegseth had ordered a second strike to eliminate survivors following an initial strike on an alleged drug boat in early September. Hegseth has denied these claims, calling them "fake news" and asserting that the strikes are lawful under both U.S. and international law. He stated, "As we’ve said from the beginning, and in every statement, these highly effective strikes are specifically intended to be ‘lethal, kinetic strikes.’ The declared intent is to stop lethal drugs, destroy narco-boats, and kill the narco-terrorists who are poisoning the American people. Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization." During a press briefing on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt affirmed that the commanding officer for the operation, Adm. Frank Bradley, acted within his authority and the law. Hegseth later expressed support for Bradley, stating, "I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made — on the September 2 mission and all others since."