‘Franklin the Turtle’ Publisher Condemns Hegseth’s ‘Violent’ and ‘Unauthorized Use’ of Character

Sarah Rumpf Dec 1st, 2025, 11:03 pm

AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

The publisher of the children’s book series did not appreciate Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth featuring their reptilian mascot in a meme he posted, issuing a statement condemning the “violent” and “unauthorized use” of the character.

Hegseth has been facing increasing scrutiny for strikes on boats in the Caribbean that the Trump administration has said were “narco-terrorists,” especially after recent reporting of a second strike being ordered on survivors after an initial strike.

Over the weekend, Hegseth tweeted a meme that parodied the Franklin books with an image of the turtle in a helicopter firing a rocket-

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