"Critics have taken predictable swipes at President Trump’s tariffs, mocking the decision to impose duties on the barren Heard and McDonald Islands—two frozen patches near Antarctica inhabited only by penguins and seals—and warning that changes to de minimis rules could wreck e-commerce. However, both of these trade policies are rational and necessary steps to reduce imports and boost investment in the United States.
The first point is a throwaway. The islands fall under Australian jurisdiction and were automatically covered by Trump’s blanket 10% tariff. Oddly, U.S. import records show a few million dollars’ worth of goods coming from these islands each year, though no one lives there and it’s not entirely clear why. The move is symbolic, making it clear that Australian imports will be tariffed equally—even if they’re shipped from obscure overseas territories."
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