Donald Trump has not confirmed whether he prefers Marvel or DC, but given his fondness for colorful towers, daddy issues, and perpetual grievance, one might wager that his favorite caped crusader is Batman— a disgustingly rich vigilante who gets his kicks roughing up mentally ill people in alleyways. So it comes as no surprise that Trump appears to promote Bruce Wayne’s strong hatred for the Penguin — except instead of Gotham’s monocled criminal, he’s gone after the real deal: tuxedoed, fish-loving animals.
On 2 April 2025, during what he dubbed” Liberation Day”, Trump announced a sweeping new 10 % tariff on all US trade partners — including, for reasons known only to the ghosts of tariffs past, the Heard and McDonald Islands, a remote Australian external territory located in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean. These islands, inhabitants: zero, are house only to penguins, seals, and the odd bewildered seabird. No individuals. No business. Simply squawking, flapping animals.
That didn’t stop Trump, who considerably unveiled the price record via laminated graph, pointing with the enthusiasm of a guy announcing the creation of fire. A White House national clarified that the archipelago were included because they were physically Asian country. Apparently Trump thought” Restaurant” was a guide to his favourite fast-food company. Either way, the message was clear: no single — no man, beast, nor bird — is protected from MAGA’s mighty walls of “reciprocal taxes”.
Obviously, the computer responded the method it always does: with jokes, scorn, and full-blown mania.
” Trump presidency has put a 10 percent tax on the Heard and McDonald Islands… which has a community of 0 citizens and is inhabited solely by penguin”. — @TheMaineWonk
” I just want one reporter to ask Karoline Leavitt why Trump placed tariffs on islands only inhabited by penguins … I want to hear how she spins that one”. — @covie_93
” The beautiful Penguin has become the first human in story to enter a trade war with the United States”. — @YourAnonCentral
” Trump got strong with birds before Putin. What a f**** lunatic”. — @JackCocchiarella
” Look, MAGA… if you can defend Trump imposing tariffs on islands that have no people, but a few thousand penguins, and no tariffs whatsoever … go ahead. Justify it. I dare you”. — @neoavatara
Jokes poured in, featuring Skipper from Madagascar saluting, birds holding opposition signs, and even belittle White House communiqués accusing the Emperor Penguin of being a “flightless layabout”.
The American government, while baffled, responded with studied relax. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated with just the right feel of sarcasm,” Nothing on earth is healthy”. He added,” These taxes are not surprising, but they are unnecessary. Some other countries will get hit hard by today’s choice than Australia— and no nation is better equipped than Australia”.
Heard and McDonald Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are described as “one of the funniest and farthest spots on Earth”. According to the American Antarctic Program, it takes about 10 days by ocean to achieve them from Adelaide, Western Australia. Even the animals has better things to do than care about international business plan.
Yet here we are: in a timeframe where birds, now grappling with climate change, melting ice cap, and curious scientists, now find themselves in a business conflict with the world’s largest economy. If there’s one thing to take away from this saga, it’s that in Trump’s America, no one — not man, beast, nor bird — is safe from the ever-expanding reach of “reciprocal tariffs”.
