Trump imposes tariffs on uninhabited islands and a US military base

President announces levies on Heard and McDonald Islands in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean

President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on uninhabited islands and a U.S. military base on Wednesday as he announced his widespread levies.

Trump imposed tariffs on the uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean, Axios noted.

The mostly barren UNESCO World Heritage site was featured on Trump’s list of areas that now face a minimum of 10 percent tariffs on U.S. imports, along with mainland Australia.

President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House. The list of areas facing levies included uninhabited islands and a U.S. military base (AP)

“It takes around 10 days, depending on the weather, to get to Heard Island by ship from the port of Fremantle, near Perth in Western Australia,” according to the Australian Antarctic Program. The islands feature “penguin, seal and flying bird colonies, which include several species with conservation status at a national and international level.”

The 10 percent levy was also imposed on the British Indian Ocean Territory, which only counts U.S. and U.K. service members as its inhabitants at the Diego Garcia base.