'Back to plastic': Trump to sign exec order to reinstate plastic straws

US President Donald Trump on Friday expressed his frustration over eco-friendly paper straws promoted under Joe Biden's administration, vowing to reinstate plastic ones in the United States. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote "I will be signing an Executive Order next week ending the ridiculous Biden push for Paper Straws, which don't work. BACK TO PLASTIC!" 

 

Once the executive order is signed next week, the federal ban on single-use plastic straws in the US will be lifted, allowing businesses to reintroduce them in beverages.  

 

Former US President Joe Biden had previously set a target for government departments to phase out single-use plastic items, including drinking straws, by 2035.   

 

Trump's decision to support plastic straws received backing from Elon Musk, who shared a screenshot of the Truth Social post on X, adding, “Greatest President ever!”  

 

The move is the latest in a series of actions by the Republican president concerning environmental policies. Earlier in his second term, he withdrew from the Paris climate agreement and reaffirmed his commitment to expanding domestic oil drilling, using the slogan "drill, baby, drill."  

 

Trump has long expressed irritation with the rising popularity of paper straws.  

 

This is not the first time he has criticised them. During a 2020 campaign rally, he condemned the Democrats' push to restrict plastic straws, saying, “They want to ban straws. Has anybody ever tried those paper straws?”  He added, "It disintegrates as you drink it, and if you have a nice tie like this tie, you've got no choice."  

 

Trump's campaign team has also marketed branded plastic straws featuring the slogan: "Liberal paper straws don't work".