On April 2, 2025, former US President Donald Trump declared “Liberation Day” and introduced a significant 10% tariff on all American trade allies, surprisingly including the Heard and McDonald Islands. Situated in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean, this remote Australian external territory has a population of zero, inhabited solely by penguins, seals, and occasional seabirds. With no human inhabitants or trade activities, the islands are primarily a habitat for wildlife. Trump’s decision to include them in the tariff announcement raised eyebrows due to their isolated and uninhabited nature.