With the trade war, the hour of glory of the penguins of the Heard-et-McDonald islands-Liberation
Customs duties imposed by the United States on the rest of the world on April 2 Have they been decided anyhow? While the incompetence trials are increasing against the Trump administration, the opponents of the Republican have chosen an unexpected mascot to mock the whirlwind of taxes set up on products from around the world.
An image abundantly shared Thursday on social networks shows a palmiped installed in the chair occupied Volodymyr Zelensky During his visit to a disaster memory in the oval office, And being served by the American president and vice-president JD Vance, as the Ukrainian head of state was.
The humorous montages featuring the sea birds at the white and black livery swarm online, with the common point of criticizing the aggressive trade policy announced Wednesday by the tenant of the White House. On Bluesky, Internet users have even created a parodic account of the Heard Island government, where the account animators have fun imagining the responses of the inhabitants to new American commercial practices.
« Penguins have been riding us for years », For example joked on x Anthony Scaramucci, ephemeral director of communication for the White House During the first Trump mandate, which has since become very critical of the billionaire. « Donald Trump puts customs taxes on penguins but by Putin« , Commented, on the same network, the leader of Democratic senators, Chuck Schumer, referring to the fact that Russia did not appear on the list of taxed countries presented Wednesday by the American president.
This hour of digital glory, the little birds living in the coldest climates on the planet owes it above all to an announcement of the American executive: that of a 10% customs tax on all products imported from the Heard and McDonald Islands. However, this Australian territory, lost in the south of the Indian Ocean, is only populated by animals, and in particular penguins. Unless you embark on Guano’s export, it’s hard to imagine what the United States could get it.
The Australian palmipeds will be able to console themselves by noting that another territory almost deserted by humans, the volcanic island of Jan Mayen, in the Sea of Greenland and in Norwegian territory, mainly populated by sea birds, saw its customs duties increase by 10 to 15 % on imported products. Or by finding that their fellows from the Falklands islands, this British archipelago welcoming a large population of these palmipeds, are targeted by a much heavier tax of 41%. All the more incomprehensible since the United States was still suffering recently of an egg shortage.
