The Canadian publisher of the Franklin the Turtle children’s book series condemned U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s use of the normally friendly anthropomorphic animal’s image in a “violent” meme posted to social media.

On Sunday, Hegseth shared the doctored image of Franklin — decked out in U.S. military gear — leaning out of a helicopter and firing a rocket launcher at one of three smaller boats below, each loaded with cargo and armed individuals.

The fake book is titled Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists, likely a reference to U.S. strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific oceans undertaken by President Donald Trump’s administration in recent months.

“For your Christmas wish list…,” Hegseth captioned the post, which has more than 168,000 likes an

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