On the social platform X, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a picture of the popular children’s book character Franklin the Turtle attacking drug smugglers in boats, drawing a response from the books’ publisher.

The image, which closely resembles the cover of a Franklin the Turtle book, shows the titular reptile in a helicopter, firing a rocket launcher at a boat manned by a person holding an assault rifle and laden with what appear to be drugs. The title of the fake book is Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists. Hegseth captioned the photo, “For your Christmas wish list…”

The Franklin the Turtle book series, written by Paulette Bourgeois and illustrated by Brenda Clark, launched in 1986 with Franklin in the Dark; dozens more followed in the years since. The books were adapted into two animated television series.

Hegseth has been under scrutiny after the Washington Post reported last week that he ordered a Special Operations commander to kill 11 people who were suspected of ferrying drugs on a boat off the coast of Trinidad, including two people who appeared to have survived the initial missile attack. Hegseth has denied that he gave the order.

On X, Kids Can Press, which publishes the Franklin the Turtle books, issued a statement that reads, “Franklin the Turtle is a beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of children and stands for kindness, empathy, and inclusivity. We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin’s name or image, which directly contradicts these values.”

Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.