Defence Secretary's Tweet Sparks Backlash Over 'Violent' Franklin the Turtle Depiction
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has faced condemnation from the publisher of a beloved Canadian children's book series after posting a mock-up cover featuring the main character, Franklin the Turtle, wielding a rocket launcher and targeting a cluster of boats.
The image, which was captioned as a Christmas wish list item, depicted an anthropomorphic turtle in military gear and a US flag on his arm, with a drug-laden boat exploding in the background. Critics have accused Hegseth's tweet of mocking the use of lethal force in counter-terrorism operations, which has been widely condemned as illegal.
The book series, which has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, is known for its gentle and moral lessons, rather than politics. The publisher, Kids Can Press, has stated that it "strongly condemns any denigrating, violent or unauthorized use of Franklin's name or image," which directly contradicts the values of kindness, empathy and inclusivity embodied by the character.
The controversy comes as Hegseth was recently reported to have commanded military personnel to target all individuals on board vessels following a string of deadly US strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific. Two survivors were killed during a second strike, prompting outrage over the use of lethal force.
The Pentagon's law of war manual prohibits making wounded, sick or shipwrecked individuals the object of attack. Despite this, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats were conducted in international waters and in accordance with the law of armed conflict.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has faced condemnation from the publisher of a beloved Canadian children's book series after posting a mock-up cover featuring the main character, Franklin the Turtle, wielding a rocket launcher and targeting a cluster of boats.
The image, which was captioned as a Christmas wish list item, depicted an anthropomorphic turtle in military gear and a US flag on his arm, with a drug-laden boat exploding in the background. Critics have accused Hegseth's tweet of mocking the use of lethal force in counter-terrorism operations, which has been widely condemned as illegal.
The book series, which has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, is known for its gentle and moral lessons, rather than politics. The publisher, Kids Can Press, has stated that it "strongly condemns any denigrating, violent or unauthorized use of Franklin's name or image," which directly contradicts the values of kindness, empathy and inclusivity embodied by the character.
The controversy comes as Hegseth was recently reported to have commanded military personnel to target all individuals on board vessels following a string of deadly US strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific. Two survivors were killed during a second strike, prompting outrage over the use of lethal force.
The Pentagon's law of war manual prohibits making wounded, sick or shipwrecked individuals the object of attack. Despite this, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats were conducted in international waters and in accordance with the law of armed conflict.
DEFENSE SECRETARY PATE HEGSETH JUST POSTED THE MOST CRINGE-WORTHY TWEET EVER!!! I MEAN WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND THINKS IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO SHOW FRANKLIN THE TURTLE WIELDING A ROCKET LAUNCHER AND TARGETING BOATS????
that's just sick and twisted, dude! the guy's all about counter-terrorism, but does he care about how his words affect others? Newsflash: YOU CAN'T JUST MOCK VIOLENCE AND EXPECT PEOPLE TO FORGET ABOUT IT!!!
the book series is all about promoting kindness and empathy, not some twisted military agenda. what's next? Are they gonna post a tweet with SpongeBob SquarePants wielding a tank? 
this whole thing just screams "we're out of touch" to me. and can we talk for a second about how hypocritical it is that Hegseth was recently reported on commanding military personnel to target wounded people? like, what's the difference between that and mocking a beloved children's character?! 
. Pete Hegseth's tweet was already problematic given his background in counter-terrorism, but now it seems like he's trying to use a beloved kids' character to deflect from his own actions 
. The fact that Kids Can Press is speaking out against this is great - it's about time someone stood up for the values of kindness and empathy that their books are supposed to represent 
. I'm not sure if Hegseth even understands what kind of impact a tweet like this can have, especially when you're already in a position of power 
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The whole thing just stinks, from the book series being all about kindness & empathy to someone like Pete Hegseth messing with it like that. Can't believe he thought it was funny 
Anyway, I'm all for holding those in power accountable, especially if they're gonna use innocent kids as a prop 
.
"The truth is rarely pure and never simple." 
[Image of a turtle wearing a rocket pack and sunglasses, with a "Mission: Impossible" theme playing in the background]
, it's just insensitive and cruel 
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and remind everyone that Franklin's message of kindness, empathy, and inclusivity should never be compromised by a joke like this 
. I'm not sure what the Defence Sec is trying to achieve with this tweet, but it's definitely backfiring 
i mean what's next, making a joke about wars on social media? it's so unprofessional and insensitive. and to think he's in charge of our country's defense... 
the book series has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, that's like, a lot of kids who are now being taught violence as a solution instead of empathy and understanding 
franklin the turtle is like this adorable, gentle dude who teaches kids about kindness and empathy, not some military mascot 
and now hes got people calling him out for mocking violence against civilians 
