Republicans criticize Democrats for breaking into people's homes and executed their pets

The killing of social media star Peanut the Squirrel, also known as P'Nut, has sparked widespread outrage. Among those expressing their anger are several surprising animal rights advocates. Last week, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) confiscated Peanut, along with a raccoon named Fred, from the Pine City, New York home and animal sanctuary of Mark Longo, the animals' owner and popular content creator.

The DEC stated that Peanut and Fred were euthanized to be tested for rabies. This revelation on Friday triggered a flood of horrified reactions on social media. On Instagram, where Peanut had amassed nearly 700,000 followers, comments poured in, denouncing the actions of the authorities.

One of the most high-profile figures to comment was Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Over the weekend, Musk took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to voice his frustration about the killing of Peanut. He also tied his frustrations to his support for Donald Trump, suggesting that his favored presidential candidate would have prevented such an incident. “President Trump will save the squirrels,” Musk declared, posting an image of Peanut with Mark Longo.

Since the incident involved a government body in a state governed by Democrats, conservative voices, including Musk, quickly blamed the Democratic Party for Peanut's death. “Why is the Democratic Party so cruel?” Musk asked in one of his posts. He further criticized the authorities, claiming, “Government overreach kidnapped an orphan squirrel and executed him...”

In a lighthearted post that attempted to cope with the tragedy through humor, Musk shared an AI-generated image of a squirrel dressed as a Jedi, wielding a lightsaber. The caption read: “If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine—Obi PNut Kenobi.” Musk did not stop there, adding, “The government should not be allowed to barge into your house and kill your pet! That's messed up. Even if it is illegal to have a pet squirrel (which it shouldn't be), why kill PNut instead of simply releasing him into the forest!?”

The story of Peanut has also drawn attention from Texas Republicans, who are using the incident to appeal to voters. U.S. Senator Ted Cruz joined the conversation on X, implying that Democrats were responsible for the squirrel's death. “Why do Democrats hate cute little animals?” Cruz asked, clearly trying to strike an emotional chord with his followers.

Texas State Representative Briscoe Cain, a vocal advocate of limited government intervention, modified the iconic Gadsden Flag. In this new version, the coiled rattlesnake was replaced by an image of a squirrel, transforming a symbol of resistance against tyranny into one representing the plight of Peanut.

U.S. Representative Chip Roy also used Peanut's story as an example of government overreach. He encouraged his supporters to “Defund Tyranny” and take a stand against excessive government power.

As the presidential election draws near, Peanut's death has become yet another symbol in the ongoing debate over the extent of government control. The incident has allowed Republicans to label Peanut's death as an example of government overreach. In a particularly eye-catching move, Donald Trump's campaign took to TikTok, releasing a “Vote Trump for Peanut” video. The video claimed that Peanut was “needlessly murdered by Democrat bureaucrats in New York,” and concluded with the promise: “We will avenge you on Tuesday at the ballot box.”

It is still uncertain whether Peanut's tragic story will have any real impact on the outcome of the presidential election on Tuesday. For Mark Longo and his wife, Daniela, however, the fight is far from over. They have announced that they plan to take legal action against the Department of Environmental Conservation for what they see as an unwarranted and cruel act.