Not even wildlife is safe from the worldwide taxes imposed by US President Donald Trump. Islands near the South Pole which are home to only penguins, have been hit by a 10 per cent tariff on goods.
Heard Island and McDonald Islands, which form an external territory of Australia, are among the remotest places on earth, accessible only via a two-week sea voyage from Perth.
They are barren, uninhabited volcanic islands close Antarctica, which are covered in glaciers and completely uninhabited, with the last visit from people believed to be nearly 10 years ago.
Nevertheless, Heard and McDonald islands featured in a list released by the White House of places that would have new trade tariffs imposed.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said: ‘Nowhere on earth is safe.’
Trump initiated a widespread ten percent tariff on over 180 countries, so even though zero trade comes from the two islands they received the same base percentage on the chart.
The islands were included on the chart because they are Australian territory, a White House official said.
Papers Mock Penguin Tariffs
But that did not stop his critics on social media for ridiculing the move
‘The penguins have been ripping us off for years,’ wrote Trump’s former communications director Anthony Scaramucci, now a frequent critic of the president.
‘For far too long, the penguins on the uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands in the Antarctic have ripped off American taxpayers,’ wrote Washington Post National Security editor. ‘That ends today.’
‘The Heard Island and McDonald penguins have been taking advantage of us for too long – it’s about time we stood up to them!’ posted former Congressman Tom Malinowski on X.
No longer will the rapacious penguins dump their substandard goods upon unsuspecting American markets,’ wrote Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle.
‘Those penguins have been ripping us off for years,’ commented Peter Berezin, the Chief Global Strategist and Director of research for investment consultants BCA Research.
No Laughing Matter
While the idea of penguins being caught in the crossfire of an international trade war may seem laughable, the real situation on Heard and McDonald Islands is anything but.
These remote sub-Antarctic territories are home to vulnerable populations of king, macaroni, gentoo, and eastern rockhopper penguins, species already under pressure from climate change and historical exploitation.
Macaroni penguins have seen widespread population declines since the 1970s, while glaciers on Heard Island have retreated significantly in recent years, reshaping habitats and threatening food sources.
Ironically, the islands’ ecological significance and their near-pristine status are what make them such crucial refuges – and such unlikely symbols in a geopolitical spat.
