Franklin the Turtle, a gentle cartoon hero from Canada known for kindness and everyday life lessons, recently featured in an image shared online by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, portraying the turtle attacking boats labeled as drug traffickers, according to the BBC.
The image drew immediate criticism from the cartoon’s publisher, Kids Can Press, which condemned the use as unauthorized and fundamentally opposed to the values the character represents. The company emphasized that Franklin is meant to promote empathy, cooperation and emotional growth — not violence.
In a similar case, American pop star Sabrina Carpenter accused the U.S. authorities of using her music without consent in a video showing immigration enforcement operations. The post, which featured her song in the background of footage involving ICE, drew swift condemnation from the singer, who called the use of her work «inhumane.»
Other artists and rights holders have also pushed back in recent months. In September, Pokémon publicly objected after material from its franchise appeared in a deportation-related video earlier this fall. In July, British singer Jess Glynne voiced outrage after one of her songs was used in a government video promoting deportations, the BBC reported.
