WASHINGTON, D.C. – Former President Donald Trump took a stand Monday against what he called a “ridiculous situation”—paper straws.
Signing an executive order at the White House, Trump rolled back a Biden-era policy that aimed to phase out federal purchases of single-use plastics from food service operations, events, and packaging by 2027, and eliminate them from all federal operations by 2035.
“We’re going back to plastic straws,” Trump declared. “These things don’t work,” he said of paper alternatives. “I’ve had them many times, and on occasion, they break, they explode.”
A longtime critic of plastic straw bans, Trump previously capitalized on the debate during his 2020 re-election campaign, selling reusable straws on his website with the slogan, “Liberal paper straws don’t work.”
While environmental advocates argue that plastic straws pollute oceans and endanger marine life, Trump dismissed those concerns. “I don’t think that plastic is going to affect the shark very much as they’re munching their way through the ocean,” he quipped.
The executive order is expected to restart federal purchases of plastic straws, reigniting debates over environmental policies and consumer convenience.
