During Donald Trump’s reckless presidency, no place or creature on Earth seems safe. So far, Trump may not have waged a full-fledged war, rather he has made attempts to mediate ceasefires or peace in conflicts like Russia–Ukraine and Israel–Palestine. But the trade war announced by the U.S. President last Wednesday appears to have gone so far that even harmless penguins haven’t escaped its blast radius. Trump has imposed tariffs on two unheard-of islands inhabited solely by penguins. These are the remote, permanently ice-covered, and literally glacial Heard Island and McDonald Islands, located near Antarctica. A 10% tariff has now been levied on these islands by Donald Trump.
Owned by Australia and situated near the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Plateau, these islands are completely uninhabited by humans. For decades, no human has set foot on either Heard or McDonald Island. There’s no alternative transport—neither air nor ferry—to reach these islands from Perth, Australia. Even by sea, it takes about two weeks to get there. Formed by volcanic eruptions, these small islands haven’t seen any human visits in the past ten years, nor has there been any reason to go. Only a few innocent, peaceful penguins reside there.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed surprise at this move and questioned Trump’s motive behind levying tariffs on Heard and McDonald Islands. Meanwhile, Trump has become the subject of a global meme fest, as the internet is flooded with hilarious memes portraying the “tariff bomb” on penguins. The viral memes have oddly provided a slight ‘relief’ to investors who saw billions of dollars wiped off global stock markets. According to World Bank data, the U.S. imported electrical components worth $1.4 million from these islands in 2022—but surprisingly, both the Australian Prime Minister and the trade ministry claim to be unaware of any such exports.
On another front, Trump’s tariff bomb is expected to abnormally increase the price of iPhones globally. Depending on the model, iPhone prices are likely to rise by 30% to 43%. Apple sells about 220 million iPhones worldwide each year, with its major markets being the U.S., China, Europe, and India. According to analysts at Rosenblatt Securities, the base model of the iPhone 16, which currently costs $799, may now rise to $1,142. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, priced at $1,599, could increase to $2,300. This will not only hurt consumers but also cause significant commercial damage to Apple.
Meanwhile, the U.S. is already facing the backlash of Trump’s tariff war. Within the first three days of the tariff announcement, the American stock markets—NASDAQ, S&P, and Dow—have witnessed an unprecedented crash. Simultaneously, stock markets around the world have also suffered. Economists warn that this trade war could severely damage the GDP and economies of nations worldwide. But even before that, the American stock markets have started to bleed.