Wait, what! Penguins have ‘launched’ a social media uprising against Trump tariffs

A series of viral memes and videos have flooded social media after the US imposed a 10% tariff on goods from Heard and McDonald Islands.

Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs—already sparking global retaliation from China and Europe—have now drawn attention from an unexpected group: penguins. That’s right. Heard Island and McDonald Islands, a remote Australian territory in the southern Indian Ocean, have become unexpected stars of a social media meme fest after being slapped with a 10 per cent US import tariff—despite having no human residents, trade, or even recent visitors.

In one viral Instagram video, a group of penguins are seen hopping down stairs, with the meme caption: “Penguins on their way to White House to negotiate with Trump on their 10% tariff.”

These desolate islands, home only to penguins and seals, are so isolated that it takes a gruelling two-week boat journey from Perth to get there. In fact, no human has reportedly set foot there in nearly a decade.

The irony of flightless birds living in one of the most unreachable places on Earth being "targeted" by trade tariffs hasn’t gone unnoticed by the internet, where users are responding in the best way they know: memes. And some memes are being shared from accounts made on penguins after Trump's tariff decisions.

What are the penguin memes flooding social media?

A series of viral memes and videos have flooded social media after the US imposed a 10 per cent tariff on goods from Heard and McDonald Islands — a remote, uninhabited Australian territory home only to penguins and seals.

In one viral Instagram video, a group of penguins are seen hopping downstairs, with the meme caption: “Penguins on their way to White House to negotiate with Trump on their 10% tariff.”

Another widely shared clip shows penguins at an airport, dressed in their natural black-and-white “suits,” accompanied by the caption: “Penguins of McDonalds Island have landed in USA to negotiate tariffs with Trump.”

On X, a meme shows a penguin holding a placard that reads: “Mr Trump what did we do to you to deserve to be on your tariff list? We are just penguins. How are we supposed to pay for 10% tariffs?” Beside it, a cartoon of Trump is seen being stared down by the penguin.

A meme page titled “Penguin Tariff” shared a post that read: “I can already tell you these tariffs are NOT working! My humble nation in shambles right now! Penguins of Heard Island have never felt so attacked! Worst part is we voted for Trump!” The post features a GIF of a penguin running with a suitcase.

Another humorous video mimics a “McDonalds Islands penguins press conference,” showing an edited clip of penguins sitting in a row while reporters photograph them.

Meanwhile, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the decision to impose tariffs on these distant islands. Speaking to CBS, he said the move was intended to close “ridiculous loopholes” and prevent other nations from routing shipments through the islands to access the US market.