Woke Canadian Publisher Whines About Pete Hegseth’s Franklin The Turtle Meme

Pete Hegseth is going to war — but not with the Venezuelans.

No, the Secretary of War is locked in a battle with Canadian publisher Kids Can Press. Over a meme.

On Sunday, Hegseth posted a fake book cover showing Franklin, a cartoon turtle, shooting rocket-propelled grenades at narco-terrorists from the landing skid of a military helicopter.

“For your Christmas wish list,” Hegseth wrote along with the book, titled “Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists,” which is billed as “A Classic Franklin Story.” The cover image features Franklin seated in the open bay door of a helicopter, aiming an RPG launcher at narco-terrorists in their boats in the water below.

For your Christmas wish list… pic.twitter.com/pLXzg20SaL

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) December 1, 2025

Less than 24 hours later, Kids Can Press issued a statement in response, condemning Hegseth’s use of the “beloved” character.

pic.twitter.com/uYUF68eDyI

— kidscanpress (@KidsCanPress) December 1, 2025

“Franklin the Turtle is a beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of children and stands for kindness, empathy, and inclusivity,” the post read. “We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin’s name or image, which directly contradicts these values.”

The statement marks the first time Kids Can Press has posted on X since a mid-January announcement declaring a shift to posting more on other platforms like Bluesky.

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The most recent thing in the publisher’s timeline was a repost advertising a workshop for kids called “An Indigenous History Lesson on Fascism” and featuring Gord Hill, the author of “The Revised & Expanded ANTIFA Comic Book.”

In addition to triggering Kids Can Press, Hegseth also got a rise out of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

“I have never seen someone so unserious, so childish, and so obviously insecure serving as Secretary of Defense as Pete Hegseth. The man is a national embarrassment,” the senator posted.

Former “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd was also clearly upset by the meme, saying Hegseth was “literally mocking the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. Congress and humiliating and embarrassing America worldwide with this childish tantrum.”