Summary
Donald Trump imposed a 10% tariff on goods from Heard Island and McDonald Islands—remote, uninhabited Australian territories near Antarctica—despite their lack of human activity or exports.
The White House listed them among “countries” facing new trade tariffs. Australia’s Prime Minister said, “Nowhere on Earth is safe.”
Other Australian external territories, like Norfolk Island, were hit harder, facing tariffs up to 29%.
Conflicting data show improbable exports from these islands, including $1.4m in “machinery and electrical” goods from Heard and McDonald Islands in 2022.
Has anyone brought up, in a serious, on the record way, that we are not at war, and the president doesn’t actually have tariff powers right now?
…
The speaker of the house is helping Trump show off his incredible puppeteering skills.
And I’m not talking about ventriloquism, Trump’s up in him to the elbow.
Hopefully he reported this activity to his son, to keep him honest and appropriately guilty
He has statutory emergency authority which can be checked by Congress if abused, except, what Congress?
(Also the tariffs are enforced by CBP, an executive agency.)