Social Media Erupts with Penguin Memes as Trump Slaps Tariffs on Remote Antarctic Lands

In a move that has baffled economists and tickled the internet, Donald Trump on Thursday announced a sweeping new tariff policy that includes a surprising twist - "a 10 per cent tariff on goods from uninhabited volcanic islands near Antarctica." These remote locations, mostly covered in ice and home only to penguins, seals, and glaciers, are now inexplicably part of America’s trade strategy.

Though the decision was meant to target several countries, it was the Antarctic clause that truly captured the imagination of social media users. Within hours, platforms like X were awash with a flood of penguin-themed memes, as users turned Trump’s unexpected announcement into a viral comedy fest.

One particularly popular meme depicted a penguin replacing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his recent tense exchange in the Oval Office with Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Others took a more whimsical approach - one user posted a video of penguins marching with tiny backpacks, captioned: “Penguins leaving Heard Island and McDonald Island. is THIS what you voted for?"

Another viral creation showed a cartoon penguin holding a gun, accompanied by the grim caption: “Peace Was Never An Option.” A different meme showcased a group of penguins holding protest placards with a variety of misspelled versions of the word “tariff,” amplifying the absurdity of the situation.

Adding to the spectacle, Trump also announced a hefty "29 per cent tariff on a small South Pacific outpost of Norfolk Island," which has a population of just over 2,000 and negligible trade with the US. The move left many scratching their heads and others rolling in laughter.

While the economic implications of these tariffs remain unclear, one thing is certain - the internet has found its newest meme muse in Antarctica’s unsuspecting tuxedoed residents.