Trump Official Confronted Over Tariffs on Islands Where Only Penguins Live
Source: Newsweek
Published Apr 06, 2025 at 11:41 AM EDT | Updated Apr 06, 2025 at 5:23 PM EDT
President Donald Trump's Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was confronted during a CNN interview on Sunday over why the administration has levied tariffs on islands only inhabited by penguins. Newsweek reached out to the Department of Agriculture for comment from Rollins on Sunday.
Why It Matters
The tariffs are part of a new plan announced by Trump last week 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. Tariffs targeting uninhabited volcanic Heard Island and McDonald Islands, a remote territory inhabited only by penguins, seals, and seabirds were included on Trump's list. The move raised eyebrows, as many questioned the need for tariffs on the islands. The administration expects the new rates to remain in place until the U.S. narrows a $1.2 trillion trade imbalance recorded last year. But the extensive list of tariffs also threatens to upend the U.S. economy, as most—but not all—economists say they amount to taxes on American companies that will be passed down to consumers.
What to Know
Rollins appeared for an interview on CNN's State of the Union hosted by Jake Tapper on Sunday. Tapper pressed the agriculture secretary on tariffs, including questioning the reason behind the levies targeting the remote penguin-inhabited islands. "You're imposing a 10 percent tariff on the Heard and McDonald Islands. The Heard and McDonald Islands have zero human inhabitants.
They had zero exports. They had zero imports. They do have a lot of penguins. Why are you putting import tariffs on islands that are entirely populated by penguins?" the CNN anchor asked. In response, Rollins tried to dismiss the question. "Well, I mean, that—come on Jake. Obviously...," she said, then chuckled. "Here's the bottom line. We live under a tariff regime from other countries." Tapper interjected, saying that the islands are not "imposing" tariffs.
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/brooke-rollins-confronted-tariffs-islands-penguins-live-2055997
= new reply since forum marked as read
What, Newsweek 
does the renowned Wharton economist John Barron take issue with the assertion?
