https://www.newsweek.com/brooke-rollins-confronted-tariffs-islands-penguins-live-2055997

President Donald Trump's Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was confronted during a CNN interview on Sunday over why the administration has levied tariffs on islands only inhabited by penguins.

The tariffs are part of a new plan announced by Trump last week on what he dubbed "Liberation Day." The plan included a universal 10 percent tariff on all imports from countries and higher tariffs on dozens of others.

Tariffs targeting uninhabited volcanic Heard Island and McDonald Islands, a remote territory inhabited only by penguins, seals, and seabirds were included on Trump's list. The move raised eyebrows, as many questioned the need for tariffs on the islands.

Rollins appeared for an interview on CNN's State of the Union hosted by Jake Tapper on Sunday. Tapper pressed the agriculture secretary on tariffs, including questioning the reason behind the levies targeting the remote penguin-inhabited islands.

"You're imposing a 10 percent tariff on the Heard and McDonald Islands. The Heard and McDonald Islands have zero human inhabitants. They had zero exports. They had zero imports. They do have a lot of penguins. Why are you putting import tariffs on islands that are entirely populated by penguins?" the CNN anchor asked.

In response, Rollins tried to dismiss the question.

"Well, I mean, that—come on Jake. Obviously...," she said, then chuckled. "Here's the bottom line. We live under a tariff regime from other countries."

Tapper interjected, saying that the islands are not "imposing" tariffs.

Rollins ignored the pushback, saying: "We have too long ceded the idea that America goes first. I mean, come on, whatever. Listen, the people that are leading this are serious and intentional, patriotic—the smartest people I ever worked with."

She then distanced herself from the formulas used to calculate tariffs, noting that she did not "come up" with them. However, she said in her role as agriculture secretary she was involved in "a lot of conversations" to ensure farmers concerns were represented.

Rollins said Trump has the "utmost confidence in the team and what they have built and what they have put together." She said the administration is "unleashing a new golden age."