Donald Trump’s far-reaching 10% import tariffs have already caused a sturm und drang from economic powers such as China and the European Union. But now, an entirely unforeseen ‘group’ has waded into the drama: penguins.
Just that. Heard Island and McDonald Islands, a very isolated and unpopulated Australian island in the southern Indian Ocean, has found themselves the unwitting stars of a social media meme phenomenon after being added to Trump’s tariff list.
Even though there aren’t any human beings living on the islands and no human beings have ever even visited in nearly a decade, the islands were somehow hit with an import tax. The area is so remote that it takes two weeks of ocean travel to reach it from Perth, Australia. Its sole population? Penguins and seals.
The sheer ridiculousness of placing trade restrictions on a country inhabited only by flightless birds has not gone unnoticed by internet users. The result: an overwhelming tide of memes and jokes filling networks like X, Instagram, and TikTok. Many viral posts have followed from accounts jokingly pretending to speak on behalf of the “Penguins of McDonald Island.”
One of the most widely shared Instagram clips depicts penguins jumping down stairs, with the caption: “Penguins on their way to White House to negotiate with Trump on their 10% tariff.”
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Another circulating meme depicts penguins ‘arriving’ at an airport in their normal tuxedo-like feathers, with the caption: “Penguins of McDonalds Island have landed in USA to negotiate tariffs with Trump.”
Penguins 🐧 of Mcdonald Island arrived to discuss Tarrifs with Donald Trump
.#tarrifs #Mcdonald #Island #Penguins #PenguinsAgainstTrump #penguininvasion #economy #stock @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/fGRaKCyCvg— Kaido كايدو 🇨🇦 (@Kaido_ry) April 6, 2025
While this was going on, an X user shared a picture of a penguin holding a sign with the words: “Mr Trump what did we do to you to deserve to be on your tariff list? We are just penguins. How are we supposed to pay for 10% tariffs?” There was a cartoon of Trump having a staring fit due to a penguin staring back at him.
Meanwhile penguins…
#PenguinsAgainstTrump #KabosuDidNotDieForThis pic.twitter.com/3dUUfzYfig
— Sir Tim 🇹🇷🇬🇧🏴 (@Sir_Tim35) April 7, 2025
A parody page called Penguin Tariff posted a statement that said, “I can already tell you these tariffs are NOT working! My humble nation in shambles right now! Penguins of Heard Island have never felt so attacked! Worst part is we voted for Trump!” The meme was a GIF of a penguin running with a suitcase.
I can already tell you these tariffs are NOT working!
My humble nation in shambles right now!
penguins of heard island have never felt so attacked!
worst part is we voted for trump!#penguintariff
0xc5dc775845ac1693206e600f351666aa6f8b5099 pic.twitter.com/TjcSQXOKdI
— Penguin Tariff (@Penguin_Tariff) April 3, 2025
Contributing to the merriment was a mock video in the form of a press conference, where penguins in a line are being shown edited clips while “reporters” click their photos—titled the “McDonalds Islands penguins press conference.”
In spite of the social media hype, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was in defense of the hotly debated move. Talking to CBS, he said, “The action was meant to shut down ‘silly loopholes’ and keep other countries from sending shipments through the islands to reach the U.S. market.”
