When US President Donald Trump announced the "Liberation Day tariffs" in the White House Rose Garden, many countries expected strict trade measures. However, no one expected that even uninhabited islands would be affected.

Along with a 10% tariff on all trade partners, Trump's list also included the Heard and McDonald Islands, which are located in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean. The surprising part? No one lives there.These islands were added to the tariff list simply because they are territory of Australia, according to a White House official quoted by Axios.

During his speech, Trump used a poster to show the countries and territories affected by the new tariffs. He also handed out printed sheets with more details for reporters.One of these sheets claimed that the Heard and McDonald Islands impose a 10% tariff on the USA, mentioning in small print that this includes factors like currency manipulation and trade barriers. In response, the U.S. imposed the same 10% tariff on the islands as a "discounted reciprocal tariff."

However, an Australian government website describes the Heard and McDonald Islands as "one of the wildest and remotest places on Earth." In reality, the islands are uninhabited and have no trade activity.
According to the Australian Antarctic Program, reaching Heard Island by ship from Fremantle, near Perth, takes around 10 days, depending on the weather.

The islands are home to penguins, seals, and various bird species, some of which are protected at national and international levels. Despite being a remote UNESCO World Heritage-listed territory, they were included in Trump’s tariff list alongside mainland Australia, meaning they would now face at least a 10% tariff on US imports.

However, the islands are completely uninhabited and, according to The Guardian, haven’t had any human visitors in nearly a decade. The decision sparked a response from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who reacted by saying, "Nowhere on earth is safe."

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he added, "These are uncertain times, but all Australians can be certain of this. These tariffs are not unexpected, but they are unwarranted. Many other countries will be hit harder than Australia and no nation is better prepared than us."

Along with Heard and McDonald Islands, Trump’s tariff list also included other Australian external territories such as the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island, and Norfolk Island. Norfolk Island, home to just 2,188 residents, faced a 29% tariff, much higher than the 10% imposed on mainland Australia, marking an extra 19 percentage points.

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