Penguins might be the newest entrants on the list of those who do not particularly like the new president of the United States, Donald Trump.
Recently, Trump has come under fire from several countries across the globe for unnecessarily increasing trade tariffs. Incidentally, though, no tariffs have been applied to Russia or North Korea so far, both of which are considered to be Trump’s allies.
However, the recent trade tariffs the US government has been invoking on several of its allies have left a bitter taste in them. One of the latest additions to this list is an uninhabited island that is an Australian territory near Antarctica. Most of the creatures on this island are penguins, seals, and seabirds.
Why Has Trump Put Tariffs On Penguins?
While the notion of penguins being angry with Trump is just a joke, the decision to impose trade tariffs on Heard Island and McDonald Islands, an isolated, uninhabited Australian territory near Antarctica, has left many baffled.
Trump has been on an aggressive mission to increase tariffs on various countries globally, which he claims will boost manufacturing. According to Trump, “Our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike.”
On Wednesday, during a press conference, the current US President, Donald Trump, announced that the US would impose reciprocal tariffs on certain territories in Antarctica, even though there is no human habitation there.
While showing a poster outlining which exact countries and territories will be subject to these new tariffs, one of those documents indicated that Heard and McDonald Islands have imposed a 10 per cent ‘Tariff to the USA.’ A footnote in this document claimed that this is for “currency manipulation and trade barriers.”
In response to this, the US has decided to implement a “discounted reciprocal tariff” at the same 10 per cent rate.
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Located near Antarctica, the Heard Island and McDonald Islands are isolated, uninhabited Australian territories with no human population. Instead, most of the islands are home to penguins, seals, and seabirds.
There is also no infrastructure and no known exports to the United States. The islands are considered among the most remote places on earth, and their many glaciers, volcanic landscapes, and ecosystems have made them eligible as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
These islands are not the only external Australian territories listed on the Trump administration’s tariff list. Others include the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island, and Norfolk Island. The last one, despite having a mere population of 288 people, faces a steep tariff of 29 per cent that has left many confused.
Reports further state that they could have also been included simply because they come under Australian territory, which is also included in Trump’s new tariff regime.
The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, has also responded against this, calling the decision illogical. Albanese, speaking about Norfolk Island, said, “Norfolk Island has got a 29 per cent tariff. I’m not quite sure that Norfolk Island, with respect to it, is a trade competitor with the giant economy of the United States,” adding, “But that just shows and exemplifies the fact that nowhere on Earth is safe from this.”
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Moneycontrol, Firstpost, The Guardian
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