99% trade tariff! Trump’s tariff algorithm triggers heaviest duty on this French island, critics call it ‘insane’

A remote French island with barely 6,000 residents has just become the most tariffed place on earth—thanks to what critics are calling a “bizarre” trade formula from the White House.

St. Pierre et Miquelon, a French overseas territory off the coast of Canada, now faces a 99% tariff on its exports to the United States, according to Australian political activist Drew Pavlou, who flagged the figure on X.

“The French overseas territory St. Pierre et Miquelon (population 5,800) now has the highest tariff rates in the world at 99%,” Pavlou wrote. “Their exports are valued at just $3.5 million dollars a year. My guess as to what happened here is that they likely export a tiny amount (like $100 k worth of lobsters) to America without importing anything in return. So the insane White House algorithm (trade deficit/imports) would have produced this insane 99% tariff figure. So unbelievably stupid, incompetent and insane.”

The eye-watering rate follows President Donald Trump’s sweeping announcement of reciprocal tariffs on April 2, part of his pledge to reignite U.S. manufacturing and combat trade imbalances. Trump called the moment “Liberation Day,” declaring, “2nd April 2025 will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn... and the day that we began to make America wealthy again.”

While most countries will face a new baseline 10% tariff, about 60 “worst offenders” were slapped with custom rates. India got a “discounted” 26% duty. China and Cambodia were hit with 54% and 49%, respectively. But the 99% rate on St. Pierre et Miquelon has raised eyebrows for its sheer disproportion.

Social media reactions ranged from baffled to strategic. Trump has put 10% tariffs on the islands of Mayotte and Martinique and a massive 73% on Réunion, without realising these islands are 100% part of France!” one user wrote.

Another user argued, “lol it’s the same thing as the penguin island here buddy, and it’s not stupid or insane. France could utilize this as a work around to avoid the tariffs… so there aren’t tariff safe havens to be used.”

A third added, “Shows the goal is to create chaos not fix 'trade imbalances'. Chaos provides the ultra rich with endless opportunities. Especially with a.i advisors helping them seek them out.”

The move has left many questioning the logic—and the algorithm—behind Trump’s latest trade policy. For now, the tiny lobster-exporting island has become an unlikely poster child in a global economic shake-up.