The news of the introduction of new duties into Hurd and McDonald islands in the Indian Ocean and owned Australia, has stirred not only the political but also a humorous sphere. It turned out that these deserted areas where only penguins live, became the object of the tariff war initiated by US President Donald Trump. The network quickly filled with memes that ridiculed this situation. However, the White House had to explain the logic of such actions.
Howard Lutnik, US Minister of Commerce, tried to explain these customs restrictions. He noted that President Trump has made a decision to prevent bypass schemes when countries that have fallen under US tariffs can use deserted territories as a "bridge" to bypass restrictions. Lutnik has analogy with China, pointing out the situation when after the introduction of duties on China, Chinese goods began to come to the United States through other countries, including through Hurd and McDonald islands. "If we did not enter duties on these islands, other countries could use them as a loophole to bypass tariff restrictions," Lutnik said.
Meanwhile, the news of the introduction of duties into the islands where people do not live has caused a flurry on the network. Penguins that became "target objects" in memes, allegedly promised a "powerful answer" to Trump's actions and "demonstration of indomitability." Ukrainian Internet users have also joined memes, ridiculed, and their creativity has been delighted with many users from other countries. Given the general context of the trade war, in particular with China, as well as the development of artificial intelligence, some speculated that the AIs helped to identify the countries to which new duties would be imposed. However, Lutnik denied this theory, noting that many countries did not fall on this list. One way or another, duties on penguins and deserted islands have become a symbol of a series of contradictory decisions and strategies of Trump.
Although these customs restrictions on Hurd and McDonald's islands look absurd, they have a serious economic and political context. The US is trying to close the opportunity to bypass their tariffs through deserted territories, even if it means imposing sanctions against islands where only penguins live. Although the memes that were born after this news helped relieve tension and raised laughter on the network, tariff policy remains important in the US global economic strategy.
