Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a social media image on Sunday depicting the children's book character Franklin the Turtle in tactical gear, aiming a machine gun at boats labeled "Narco Terrorists." Hegseth captioned the post with "For your Christmas wish list …".
Publisher's Response
Kids Can Press, the Toronto-based publisher of the Franklin series, issued a statement on Monday. The publisher described Franklin as a "beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of children and stands for kindness, empathy and inclusivity." The statement further added, "We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent or unauthorized use of Franklin's name or image, which directly contradicts these values." Franklin's traditional depiction involves a red neckerchief and baseball cap, with the character appearing in dozens of book titles since 1986.
Pentagon's Comment and Political Reactions
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated via email, "We doubt Franklin the Turtle wants to be inclusive of drug cartels… or laud the kindness and empathy of narco-terrorists."
Political figures responded to the post and the broader context:
- Senator Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) characterized Hegseth as "not a serious person" and suggested the meme contributed to reasons for his potential dismissal, referencing Hegseth's position in the "national command authority for nuclear weapons."
- Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) called Hegseth a "national embarrassment" and described the meme as a "sick parody." Schumer added that "Tweeting memes in the middle of a potential armed conflict is something no serious military leader would ever even think of doing."
Scrutiny Over September Maritime Incident
The social media post coincided with ongoing scrutiny of Hegseth regarding U.S. strikes on suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean in early September.
On September 2, the U.S. carried out the first of over 20 strikes targeting what officials described as "narcoterrorists" from Latin America. Public information regarding the occupants or specific evidence of drugs on board the initial vessel has not been released. The Trump administration initially described the first attack as a single strike on a Venezuelan vessel, which reportedly resulted in 11 alleged fatalities from the Tren de Aragua gang. Over subsequent weeks, additional videos of strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific were released, leading to further inquiries.
Reports, including one by The Washington Post, indicated that Hegseth allegedly gave a spoken directive for a second strike to kill surviving occupants of the initial boat. A Pentagon manual states that attacking "wounded, sick or shipwrecked" combatants violates the law of war.
Hegseth denied these reports, labeling them "fabricated, inflammatory and derogatory." He maintained that U.S. operations in the Caribbean are "lawful under both U.S. and international law… and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command."
Both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees initiated investigations into the incident over the weekend.
White House and Presidential Statements
On Monday, the White House confirmed a second strike occurred but attributed the directive to Adm. Mitch Bradley, who led Joint Special Operations Command at the time. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Hegseth authorized Bradley to conduct the strikes and that Bradley "worked well within his authority and the law." Hegseth later tweeted "100% support" for Bradley and his combat decisions.
An unnamed U.S. official, speaking to NPR, disputed the White House's account, reportedly stating that Hegseth issued the command for "two strikes to kill" and two additional strikes to "sink the boat."
President Trump defended Hegseth but distanced himself from the incident, stating on Sunday night, "He said he didn't do it, so I don't have to make that decision."
Adm. Bradley, who was promoted to commander of U.S. Special Operations Command a month after the incident, is scheduled to provide a classified briefing to lawmakers on Thursday.