Tariffs for penguins? Trump targets remote uninhabited Australian islands

The decision appears to have been made in error, possibly due to mislabelled shipping data, but it has nonetheless triggered sharp reactions and a touch of dark humour from critics.

“Donald Trump slapped tariffs on penguins and not on Putin,” said US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, referencing Russia’s omission from the sanctions list.

Andrew Constable, an adjunct professor at the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, said the development was so absurd that it made him laugh – but also served as a reminder of Australia’s vast and far-flung territories.

“To be honest, I laughed,” Constable, who had visited the islands before, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in a radio interview.