Trump imposes tariffs on uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands near Antarctica
Summary
Donald Trump imposed a 10% tariff on goods from Heard Island and McDonald Islands—remote, uninhabited Australian territories near Antarctica—despite their lack of human activity or exports.
The White House listed them among “countries” facing new trade tariffs. Australia’s Prime Minister said, “Nowhere on Earth is safe.”
Other Australian external territories, like Norfolk Island, were hit harder, facing tariffs up to 29%.
Conflicting data show improbable exports from these islands, including $1.4m in “machinery and electrical” goods from Heard and McDonald Islands in 2022.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/03/donald-trump-tariffs-antarctica-uninhabited-heard-mcdonald-islandsOpen linkView original on lemmy.world385
Comments34
Has anyone brought up, in a serious, on the record way, that we are not at war, and the president doesn't actually have tariff powers right now?
so weird little quirk of american politics. no one actually knows what wartime powers the president has access to since we never withdrew our declaration of war or signed any peace treaty for the Korean war. it's how the american military apparatus has been, legally, allowed to be employed in weird bullshit like the gulf war. it's just one of those loopholes both sides left open in case they wanted to use it, and then a fascist, to no one who pays attention's surprise, leapt right through the loophole.
We never declared war in Korea.
That would require congress and the senate caring.
And they're still hoping they can finish the coup instead of fight it
I'm not sure who you're making fun of here....🤷♂️
My interpretation is they're referring to the majority of Americans who aren't out protesting.
He has statutory emergency authority which can be checked by Congress if abused, except, what Congress?
(Also the tariffs are enforced by CBP, an executive agency.)
...
The speaker of the house is helping Trump show off his incredible puppeteering skills.
And I'm not talking about ventriloquism, Trump's up in him to the elbow.
Hopefully he reported this activity to his son, to keep him honest and appropriately guilty
But not Russia…Odd
Those penguins have been ripping us off for many years.
Wait 'til you see their retaliation!
"Mankind was completely unprepared..." - 5 years from now, probably
At least the oceans kept them in Australia
Or did they....
Have they said thank you once?!
For real, how good can penguin electronics be?
I've heard they make pretty good computer operating systems.
Do you have any idea how much they overcharge us to have snow here. It's cRiMiNaL!
who are the ones who always have to protect them every time they almost go extinct? Can't they contribute to their own defense effort?
🇺🇸💥🐧💪🏼
It's almost as though the US is run by a buffoon and his idiot friends.
I’m pretty sure that the trump regime spun two gameshow wheels: one to pick a country and another to pick a tariff percentage.
It's almost like the entire thing is performative bullshit
he probably got mad because they put pickles on his big mac.
Fuck that algae.
Lichen can lichen my ass
They did state that the reason for doing this April 2nd was because of, well, April 1st.
Trump tariffs on McDonalds confirmed?
https://slrpnk.net/pictrs/image/e2b353e5-6596-480e-bcbb-8ff4cf81d9e7.png