This week, social media erupted after Trump’s April tariff announcements led to penguin tariff memes spreading like wildfire. On April 2, 2025, the president declared a national economic emergency and imposed sweeping new tariffs, starting at 10%, on imports from nearly every country.

Social media users are having a field day with new tariffs imposed on islands that don't even have a human population.

Pundits and social media users quickly mocked the Trump administration for imposing tariffs on islands that are unoccupied by humans and questioned whether any research went into enacting the tariffs. The Heard and McDonald Islands are also home to Australia’s two active volcanoes.

Donald Trump's tariffs have become a black and white issue on social media, where penguin memes have gone viral after he targeted an island inhabited by the flightless birds, but no people."The penguins have been ripping us off for years,

Some targeted territories have little to no production, exports or role in the global economy. Some don't even have people.

Trump revealed his global tariff plan Wednesday afternoon, including a 10% tariff on the islands of Heard and McDonald, which exist in the Indian Ocean. The pair of islands homes living creatures, to be sure — just not humans.