Feeling fatigued after a day spent exploring Donald Trump’s staggering tariff strategy and its concerning effects on the global economy? Don’t worry! POLITICO has curated a list of the most outrageous items in the United States’ tariff lists that might make you laugh or cry.
Europe is more than just a continent; due to historical colonialism, various European territories exist globally, many of which will face drastically different tariff treatments from the U.S. administration.
France, but not all of France
The U.S. government has targeted specific French overseas territories with increased tariffs, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to call them “exorbitant.” Consequently, exports from these territories are treated differently compared to the rest of France and the European Union.
Territories such as Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean, French Guiana in South America, and the islands of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean are all included. These French overseas territories belong to the EU but are subjected to only 10 percent duties on their exports—half the rate that mainland France faces.
This differential treatment may seem logical given their unique economic and legal statuses, but what about Réunion? This volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean shares legal status yet endures a staggering 37 percent duty, significantly higher than the 20 percent imposed on French and EU exports.
St. Pierre and Lesotho? A bigger threat than China!
Have you heard of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon? This small French archipelago, located near Canada, is viewed as a significant threat by the U.S. government.
Exports from these tiny islands will encounter the highest U.S. tariffs at 50 percent, a rate even higher than that faced by Chinese goods, which are subjected to a 34 percent duty. Interestingly, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon engaged in merely $3.4 million in exports to the U.S. last year, with no imports recorded, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Punitive on penguins …
The Trump administration’s tariffs on uninhabited (except by penguins) Heard and McDonald islands have ignited a flood of memes.
While the Australian-ruled aquatic birds garnered attention for facing a 10 percent “retaliatory” tariff, spare a thought for the penguins under European jurisdiction.
Only 15 of the 778 islands making up the Falkland Islands, a United Kingdom overseas territory, are inhabited. Penguins outnumber humans by approximately 300 to 1.
Despite this, the Trump administration has imposed a chilling 41 percent tariff on Falklanders, while the U.K. managed to negotiate a gentler 10 percent tariff.
… but soft on seals
The U.S. tariffs also affected a Norwegian island with a native population of exactly zero. Jan Mayen, located northeast of Iceland, faces a 10 percent tariff despite having no economy to speak of. The only residents are meteorologists and Norwegian soldiers, who are significantly outnumbered by seals.
Additionally, Svalbard, another Norwegian territory, is also on America’s radar. Although Svalbard once had a mining sector, its human population of 3,000 is now primarily involved in tourism, with the last active mine shutting down this year.
In 2024, the U.S. actually had a trade surplus with these islands, albeit just $400,000, with neither Svalbard nor Jan Mayen exporting anything to the U.S. Thus, Svalbard’s seals can presumably go back to evading polar bears instead of dealing with international trade barriers.
Norway, by contrast, faces tariffs of 16 percent.
Why Curaçao?
Curaçao, a former Dutch colony in the Caribbean, remains part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and is classified as an Overseas Country and Territory (OCT) by the EU, though it isn’t part of the EU’s internal market. This classification allows the island duty-free and quota-free access to the EU market.
In 2024, the U.S. reported a trade surplus with Curaçao of nearly $800 million, primarily exporting oil, automotive goods, and electronics. This could explain why this island nation, with a population of fewer than 150,000, was hit with just a 10 percent tariff compared to the 20 percent rate imposed on the Netherlands and other EU nations.
Don’t forget the math
The U.S. appears to employ a straightforward formula for determining tariffs, as noted by ‘Wisdom of Crowds’ author James Surowiecki. Instead of basing tariffs on rates and non-tariff barriers, the former financial columnist for The New Yorker argues that the administration simply divides our trade deficit with each country by that country’s exports to the U.S.
However, in specific instances like Curaçao and Jan Mayen, where there is either a trade deficit with the U.S. or no permanent population, it raises questions about whether Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs are justified.
