HEARD ISLAND — If you’ve been keeping up with our local news, you’ve likely heard about U.S. President Donald Trump’s new tariff plan announced on April 2, or as Trump declared it, “Liberation Day,” which put a 10% tariff on all imports into the U.S. as well as higher tariffs on numerous countries. 

The penguins of Heard Island and McDonald Islands have not been spared from the U.S. president’s tactics, as the administration hit our islands with a 10% tariff on goods. 

While our islands make up an external territory of Australia and are some of the most remote places on Earth, this is not enough to escape Trump’s trade war. 

“Nowhere on Earth is safe,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Trump declined to visit our islands to discuss this serious incursion on our economic prosperity because he cannot make the two-week boat voyage from the west coast of Australia. 

The most recent visit by humans is believed to be nearly 10 years ago when a radio crew came to broadcast from our islands. This was an important step in furthering our global relations, though we had hoped for someone more prominent, such as former first lady Michelle Obama.

According to World Bank data that is suggested to be incorrect, the U.S. imported $1.4 million in goods from the islands in 2022, with most classified as “machinery and electrical” products. 

Trump’s trade war will have detrimental effects on the penguins of our islands and our ability to continue economic prosperity. 

While the penguins of Heard Island and McDonald Islands do not entirely depend on a trade relationship with the U.S., the current isolationist direction of the U.S. impacts everyone, even our penguin colonies. 

The International Monetary Fund decreased its outlook for the penguin’s economic growth in 2025 following Trump’s trade war escalation. New projections suggest the penguins’ annual output will be billions lower than expected. 

Similar to most of the world, we penguins of Heard and McDonald Islands didn’t appreciate getting hit with tariffs. Multiple penguins in prominent governmental positions spoke out against the tariffs, stating Trump’s actions were uncalled for, reckless and poorly calculated.

“Ca cawcaw ca a cawing ca caw,” one official of the Emperor said. “Caaw ca cacacacaca caw.”

Ordinary penguins have also responded in numbers. The penguins took to the glaciers on April 16 to voice their disapproval in the largest penguin protest in history. Penguins also built a substantial online resistance, using #PenguinsAgainstTrump to build a global following.

Photos from the protests show penguins holding signs reading “Tariffs hurt us all” and “Stop the tariffs.” Penguins could also be seen instructing seagulls on how to direct their waste at Tesla vehicles to show their objection to Trump and Elon Musk. Other photos show just how unprecedented the turnout was at the penguins’ protest.

The penguins’ director of global affairs met with Trump and Vice President JD Vance after the tariffs were announced, but the Heard Times’ coverage of the meeting suggested relations were still hostile. 

Take that, Trump, we the penguins are not to be messed with. 

These tariffs are more than just inspiration for protests and creative online campaigns. They could have detrimental effects on our economic growth and stability.

Preliminary analyses suggest many penguins could see an increase in prices for fish, squid and crustaceans, primarily impacting low-income penguin colonies and increasing inequities already present. Penguins should prepare by stocking up on essential supplies and supporting each other whenever possible. 

The global fallout of Trump’s tariffs could also affect job markets worldwide, and many penguins could be at risk of mass layoffs, with low-income colonies again being most impacted.

Trump’s trade war with China will also impact penguins indirectly. As the U.S. takes on an increasingly isolationist approach and ramps up tensions with China, general economic instability threatens to impact everyone. 

Trump announced a 90-day pause on the “reciprocal” tariffs a week after announcing his new plan, with the exception of tariffs on China, which he increased from 104% to 125% for U.S. goods, along with import taxes of 145%. 

Trump’s tariff plan is part of his ongoing attempt to put “America first” and address last year’s $1.2 trillion trade imbalance. 

While Trump said scaring countries and then backing off tariffs to force trade negotiations was his initial plan, the practicality of this plan is lacking. Leading penguin economists have expressed skepticism of Trump’s ability to complete trade deals in his 90-day timeframe and doubted the intentions behind his plan in general. 

Judging by the tense relations between the penguins and the administration, the likelihood of striking a deal is slim. 

Let this be a lesson to us all — tariffs and global trade instability impact all of us, even penguins. If “liberation” for America means tariffs for innocent penguins, may the penguins prevail. 

We must stand up for our islands’ sovereignty and our rights to economic prosperity.