Trump places tariffs on island that has no humans and only penguins

With his announcement of widespread new tariffs on Wednesday, President Trump spared very few places in the world from his effort to upend global trade — not even the remote Heard Island and McDonald Islands, a sub-Antarctic Australian territory inhabited by penguins, but no people.

The islands were listed among the nations and territories hit by the Trump administration's universal 10% tariff, along with mainland Australia.

Penguins are seen on a rocky beach on the remote Australian territory of Heard and McDonald Islands, in the sub-Antarctic, in an undated photo from the Australian Antarctic Division.Australian Antarctic Division/Stephen Brown

Managed by the Australian government's Antarctic Division, "the islands are unoccupied by humans and remain one of the world's least anthropogenically disturbed areas," according to an official website.

"Due to the extreme isolation of Heard Island and McDonald Islands, together with the persistently severe weather and sea conditions, human activities in the region have been, and remain, limited," the Australian government website explains. "Terrestrial and marine research, undertaken as part of the Australian Antarctic science program, is currently the main human use of the Marine Reserve, while commercial fishing in the adjacent HIMI fishery is the most frequent activity in the region."

"Since the first landing on Heard Island in 1855, there have been only approximately 240 shore-based visits to the island, and only two landings on McDonald Island (in 1971 and 1980)," the website says.

Penguins, seals and other wildlife only inhabitants of 2 islands hit with Trump tariffs https://youtu.be/bARVXkbFyi8

Trump's tariffs target Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Australian territory inhabited by penguins

Donald Trump has been labeled an 'idiot' after he announced trade tariffs on every country in the world on April 2, with varying degrees of impact. Meanwhile, Rand Paul predicts Trump's tariffs will lead to 'political decimation' and says Republicans will lose both the House and Senate.

Standing before the White House, the President declared his intention to "make America wealthy again" calling the action a "declaration of economic independence". Named 'Liberation Day' by Trump, he showcased a cardboard display detailing the reciprocal tariffs imposed on each nation, singling out China and the European Union as "worst offenders" with tariffs of 34% and 20%, respectively.

No country was left untouched – over 180 nations worldwide were slapped with a 10% tariff. This even included the uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands, an Australian territory since 1947, located in the Indian Ocean.

When Trump featured the islands on his chart, social media erupted with mockery because they are devoid of human inhabitants. Critics joked that unless Trump intends to engage in commerce with penguins, his financial gains would be nonexistent, reports the Irish Star.

Trump's tariffs are so far-reaching they include several remote, uninhabited islands

The barren Heard and McDonald Islands, discovered in the mid-19th century, are populated only by birds. A user on social media highlighted Trump's folly: "Donald Trump put a 10% tariff on Heard and McDonald Islands near Antarctica where they don't have any inhabitants? What an idiot."

Others seized the opportunity to mock the 78-year-old, with one commenter jesting: "He saw 'McDonald' and got excited."

Another humorously warned: "Those penguins had better play nice."

A third person quipped: "Both islands are extremely remote and uninhabited. You can only get there by sea which takes two weeks from Australia! Let's send him there."

Meanwhile, a fourth chimed in with: "Oh, the poor penguins. This will definitely put inflationary pressure on the price of fish."

Even former Congressman Tom Malinowski couldn't resist joining the banter, tweeting: "The Heard Island and McDonald penguins have been taking advantage of us for too long - it's about time we stood up to them!"

On the flip side, a Trump supporter defended the move, saying: "You don't get it. It's obvious what the Republicans are thinking. They want to ensure these islands don't become a way to work around going through a shell 'country' with a simple address. This was precautionary."

When announcing the tariffs, Trump proclaimed: "It's our declaration of economic independence. For years, hardworking American citizens were forced to sit on the sidelines as other nations got rich and powerful, much of it at our expense. But now it's our turn to prosper."

Trump didn't hold back, adding: "For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike We could be so much wealthier than any other country", claiming that the US "has to take care of our people".

Before making the announcement, Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, had stated: "April 2, 2025, will go down as one of the most important days in modern American history."

Uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands hit with 10% tariff

Toward the end of a long list of charts displaying the reciprocal tariffs, as shared by the White House on X, Heard and McDonald Islands are listed as being hit with a 10% reciprocal tariff.

The islands are located between Australia, South Africa and the Antarctic continent. They are conserved for their "pristine island ecosystems" with a rare combination of sub-Antarctic islands and active volcanoes, according to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention.

The Australian territory, more than twice the size of Washington, D.C., is uninhabited by people and primarily used for research, according to the CIA.

However, it does have thriving wildlife largely untouched by people, with several populations of bird species, seals and penguins.

JgTheBoss

102.7 FM KTNT
TNT TOURS

530-708-7852