INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
penguins.The tariffs are part of a new plan announced by Trump Wednesday on what he dubbed "Liberation Day." The plan included a universal
10 percent tariff on all imports from countries and higher tariffs on dozens of others.The administration expects the new rates to remain in
place until the United States narrows a $1.2 trillion trade imbalance recorded last year
taxes on American companies that will be passed down to consumers.Trump has announced tariffs on the uninhabited volcanic Heard and McDonald
Islands, a remote territory inhabited only by penguins, seals, and seabirds.The islands were included because they are Australian territory,
Axios reported, citing a White House official
An informational guide to the islands on an Australian government website describes Heard and McDonald Islands as "one of the wildest and
remotest places on Earth."The islands are accessible only via a two-week boat voyage from Perth on Australia's west coast, per the
Australian Antarctic Program
And, according to UK newspaper The Guardian, they have not been visited by a human in nearly 10 years.The White House says that the islands
currently impose a 10 percent "Tariff to the USA," which includes "currency manipulation and trade barriers." In retaliation, the United
States has implemented "discounted reciprocal tariffs" at the same rate.The decision prompted a reaction from Australian Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese, who said: "Nowhere on Earth is safe."World Bank data shows that, in 2022, the United States imported $1.4 million worth
has no buildings or people
However, it does have a fishery
It is unclear what the imported products were
In the previous five years, imports ranged from $15,000 to $325,000 annually.In addition to Heard and McDonald Islands, other Australian
"external territories" included in the tariff list were the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island, and Norfolk Island.Norfolk Island,
$655,000 worth of goods to the United States , with its main export being $413,000 worth of leather footwear, according to Observatory of
Economic Complexity data.But George Plant, the administrator of Norfolk Island, disputed the data, telling The Guardian: "There are no known
exports from Norfolk Island to the United States and no tariffs or known nontariff trade barriers on goods coming to Norfolk Island."As
Trump announced new tariffs on Wednesday, he blamed previous presidents for allowing other countries to "take advantage" of the American
He said Americans "subsidize a lot of countries and keep them going and keep them in business" and added that his plan would be "finally
putting America first.""Trade deficits are no longer merely an economic problem
They are a national emergency," Trump said.He has claimed that the tariffs will raise $6 trillion over a 10-year period, returning money to
the United States and the pockets of taxpayers.But some Republicans have warned that short-term pain may be an inevitable part of the
process.After-hours trading for United States stocks saw the Dow Jones, S-P 500 and Nasdaq all drop following Trump's announcement, even
though the president scheduled his announcement for 4 p.m
ET seemingly to avoid the potential impact of his announcement.Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: "Norfolk Island has got a 29
I'm not quite sure that Norfolk Island, with respect to it, is a trade competitor with the giant economy of the United States, but that just
shows and exemplifies the fact that nowhere on Earth is safe from this."In a post on X, he added: "Our Government will always stand up for
Australian consumers and Australian values
These tariffs are not unexpected, but they are unwarranted
said: "Taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years
But it is not going to happen anymore."A 25 percent tariff on "all foreign-made automobiles" will take effect on April 3
The 10 percent "baseline" tariffs will take effect on April 5 and the reciprocal tariffs will kick in on April 9.(Source: Newseek)
