White House chart mistakenly put tariffs on tiny territories, uninhabited islands – Washington Examiner
The summary discusses an error in a chart circulated by the White House regarding countries facing tariffs under President Trump’s “Liberation Day” initiative. the eight-page chart mistakenly included tiny overseas territories adn uninhabited islands, such as Réunion, Norfolk Island, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon, which are not listed in the accompanying executive order on tariffs. These regions were reported to be subject to high tariffs despite having little to no trade activity. The chart also inaccurately listed Here and McDonald Islands, Svalbard, and Jan Mayen, with minimal populations, suggesting unimplemented tariffs of up to 10%. The Trump governance’s trade policies have generated significant global concern and stock market reactions,as they aim for a broader strategy in international trade. The white House has directed inquiries about the chart to the Commerce Department.
White House chart mistakenly put tariffs on tiny territories, uninhabited islands
The eight-page chart circulated by the White House of countries subjected to President Donald Trump‘s “Liberation Day” tariffs included tiny overseas territories ruled by larger nations and even uninhabited islands near the North and South poles.
Three of the countries listed on the chart were not included in the accompanying executive order, indicating they were displayed in error. However, many publications and social media accounts reported that remote countries with minimal or no commerce were getting hit with massive tariffs.
“For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike,” Trump said, pointing to the loss of U.S. factories and the outsourcing manufacturing jobs.
The three countries are small islands, all of which are overseas territories and are not on the official list of countries that will face higher tariffs included in the executive order.
According to the chart, Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas region of France, will be slapped with 37% tariffs. Norfolk Island, an external territory of Australia with a population of 2,188 people, will see 29% tariffs, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon, an overseas collectivity of France located off the coast of Canada, will be tariffed at 50%.
However, none of those places are listed in the executive order annex of countries seeing import duties above 10%, indicating they may not be subject to those higher tariffs after all.
Moreover, the chart also indicated that Heard and McDonald islands, Svalbard, and Jan Mayen will see 10% tariffs even though they are almost entirely unpopulated.
Heard and McDonald islands are located in the Antarctic and have a permanent human population of zero. Svalbard, located in the Arctic Ocean north of Europe, has a population of 2,530 people, while nearby Jan Mayen is a volcanic island that also has no permanent residents.
It is unclear whether the Trump administration views these islands as having the potential for export or if they were added in error. The White House’s policy called for 10% tariffs on virtually all imports coming from any country on Earth.
The trade announcement has sent world leaders scrambling for a response and caused the stock market to tumble, though the Trump administration has insisted it is playing a long game and is committed to the tariff regime.
The White House referred questions about the chart to the Commerce Department. The Washington Examiner reached out to the department and the Office of the United States Trade Representative for comment.
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