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Pop singer Sabrina Carpenter and the publisher of the beloved Canadian children’s character Franklin the turtle are disavowing the Trump administration’s use of their music and imagery to support its agenda.
Responding to the use of her song Juno in a video montage depicting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, Carpenter tweeted Tuesday: “This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”
In the caption for the clip, the White House quoted Carpenter’s lyrics “Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye.”
On Monday, Franklin the turtle’s Canadian-owned publisher, Kids Can Press, similarly condemned a post by U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. That image, published on X, featured a manipulated image showing Franklin aiming a bazooka at boats. Hegseth posted the image with the caption “Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists.”
In a statement to CBC News earlier this week, a spokesperson for Kids Can Press said they condemned the use of Franklin’s image.
this video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.
—SabrinaAnnLynn
“Franklin the Turtle is a beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of children and stands for kindness, empathy and inclusivity,” the spokesperson wrote.
“We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent or unauthorized use of Franklin’s name or image, which directly contradicts these values.”
In a statement given to U.S. media outlets, including CBS and Axios, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said, “We doubt Franklin the turtle wants to be inclusive of drug cartels … or laud the kindness and empathy of narco-terrorists.”
The Trump administration has conducted multiple strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean on small boats accused of ferrying drugs in the region. More than 80 people have been killed in such strikes since early September.
There is a long list of performers and artists who have objected to the Trump administration using their songs and copyright material, including Abba, Bruce Springsteen, Olivia Rodrigo, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Pharrell, John Fogerty, Semisonic, Neil Young, Eddy Grant, Panic! at the Disco, R.E.M., Guns N’ Roses, Céline Dion, Beyoncé and Adele.
