Critics of Donald Trump’s unprecedented tariff announcement have ridiculed the White House for including Heard Island and McDonald Islands on its list of reciprocal tariffs.
The chart published by the White House showed a ten percent tariff levied sub-Antarctic islands in the Indian Ocean, which are uninhabited save for seals, birds and penguins.
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 told Axios.
But that did not stop his critics on social media for ridiculing the chart.
‘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!’ wrote former Congressman Tom Malinowski on X.
US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs at the White House
White House chart listing President Donald Trump’s tariffs leveled on the Hard and McDonald Islands
‘No longer will the rapacious penguins dump their substandard goods upon unsuspecting American markets,’ wrote Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle.
‘What did the penguins do to deserve this…they just want some fish and to not be eaten man!’ wrote author Steve Magness.
‘Those penguins need to be taught a lesson,’ wrote Atlantic contributor Jemele Hill.
‘Those penguins have been ripping us off for years,’ wrote Peter Berezin, the Chief Global Strategist and Director of research for BCA Research.
Emperor penguins in the snow
President Donald Trump holding up a just signed executive order on tariffs
Others used the news as a sports metaphor for the Pittsburg Penguins NHL hockey team.
‘The tariffs on the Penguins will be lifted when Sidney Crosby is finally home with the Colorado Avalanche,’ wrote social media user Jarvis.
Other social media users mocked the news by sharing gifs of the Batman villain ‘The Penguin’ and images of the birds from the animated films ‘Penguins of Madagascar’ and ‘Happy Feet.
The White House appeared aware of questions surrounding the criteria used by the administration to level tariffs on each country.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted a link from the United States Trade Representative demonstrating the formula used to calculate the tariffs.
‘To learn about the methodology behind President Trump’s reciprocal tariff calculations, visit USTR’s website,’ the message read.
