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.
so weird little quirk of american politics. no one actually knows what wartime powers the president has access to since we never withdrew our declaration of war or signed any peace treaty for the Korean war. it’s how the american military apparatus has been, legally, allowed to be employed in weird bullshit like the gulf war. it’s just one of those loopholes both sides left open in case they wanted to use it, and then a fascist, to no one who pays attention’s surprise, leapt right through the loophole.
We never declared war in Korea.