If you’re trying to figure out what is going on in our country, I’m here to tell you that I am right along with you. Wakanda, the home of T’challa is currently one of the leading trends on social media, and it’s all due to the fictional country being listed as a free trade agreement partner of the United States on the Agricultural Tariff Tracker, which is run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
According to NBC News, USDA used Wakanda while they were testing the system behind the tracker, and they forgot to remove it.
Mike Illenberg, a USDA spokesman, said, “Over the past few weeks, the Foreign Agricultural Service staff who maintain the Tariff Tracker have been using test files to ensure that the system is running properly. The Wakanda information should have been removed after testing and has now been taken down.”
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The mistake was first noticed Wednesday morning by Francis Tseng, while he researched how trade deal tariffs affect food distribution and hunger in different countries. He said, “I definitely did a double-take. I Googled Wakanda to make sure it was actually fiction, and I wasn’t misremembering. I mean, I couldn’t believe it.”
As you all know, the fictional country Wakanda was featured in the Marvel box office hit “Black Panther.”
Wakanda is listed as a US free trade partner on the USDA website?? pic.twitter.com/xcq1OFTIPh
— Francis Tseng (@frnsys) December 18, 2019
Nonetheless, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru are still on the list, especially seeing as how those are real places.
Check out what people had to say about the mistake on Twitter:
Now come on, I know the GOP is mad about the impeachment but this is a step too far. Hatin' on Wakanda.
Where am I going to get my vibranium now? pic.twitter.com/93XoysyOKU
— Encyclopedia Elephant – Caudlewag (@Caudlewag) December 19, 2019
https://twitter.com/DymNoDozen/status/1207693676618665984?s=20
The U.S. government has officially listed the fictional Wakanda from Disneys Marvel Universe as a trade partner. With Trump as President we could possibly already be in a fictional trade war with them.This could spin out of control into fictional war and can get fictionally ugly.
— Secret Agent Number Six (@DesignationSix) December 19, 2019
Me and the crew trying to get to Wakanda for some vibranium and essential oils before they get taken off the trade list. pic.twitter.com/YIzl9Gqpov
— Randall Woodfin (@randallwoodfin) December 19, 2019
TSR STAFF: Jade Ashley @Jade_Ashley94
