Trump Tariffs on Uninhabited Islands: A Measure Against Loopholes
Trump Tariffs on Uninhabited Islands: A Measure Against Loopholes
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Sunday defended President Trump's tariffs even against uninhabited islands, asserting that they are strategically intended to prevent loopholes. In an interview on CBS News's Face the Nation, moderator Margaret Brennan queried the rationale behind including uninhabited territories like the Heard and McDonald Islands, which she highlighted do not export to the United States and are home to only penguins.
"Why do they face a 10 percent tariff? Did you use AI to generate this?" Brennan challenged, to which Lutnick firmly replied, "No. The idea is that there are no countries left off." He elaborated further, indicating that if any territories are omitted from the list, countries looking to exploit these loopholes would use those territories as conduits to reach the US.
Referencing China's response to Trump's tariffs in 2018, Lutnick stated, "They just built through other countries, through America." He emphasized that President Trump is keen to rectify this and ensure that no part of the globe is a passageway for countries to trade with the United States under false pretenses. Lutnick concluded by asserting that Trump's initiative is part of a broader strategy to address the trade deficit, which he frames as a critical national security issue, vital for the production of essential goods such as medicine, semiconductors, ships, steel, and aluminum.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.