It happened on a Monday. Specifically, February 10, 2025. Donald Trump, fresh into his second term, sat down at a desk in the White House and took a metaphorical sledgehammer to one of the most visible symbols of modern environmentalism. He signed Executive Order 14208, officially titled "Ending Procurement and Forced Use of Paper Straws."
For some, it was a moment of liberation from soggy, collapsing tubes of paper. For others, it felt like a direct assault on the planet. But if you think this was just a random whim, you haven't been paying attention. This has been a long time coming.
The Long War on the Paper Straw
The obsession didn't start in the Oval Office. It started back in 2019. During his first re-election campaign, Trump’s team started selling 10-packs of laser-engraved, red plastic straws for $15. They were recyclable, sure, but the message was louder than the product: "Liberal paper straws don't work." That campaign move alone raised nearly half a million dollars. People weren't just buying straws; they were buying into a culture war. By the time he returned to power in 2025, the "paper straw problem" wasn't just a grievance—it was a policy priority.
The 2025 executive order basically does three things. First, it bans the federal government from buying paper straws. Second, it orders all paper straws to be cleared out of federal buildings. Third, it tasks the Domestic Policy Council with creating a "National Strategy to End the Use of Paper Straws" within 45 days.
Basically, the era of the government-sanctioned paper straw is dead.
Trump Banned Paper Straws: What the Order Actually Says
When Trump signed the order, he didn't hold back. He called the push for paper alternatives an "irrational campaign" and a "ridiculous situation." He even joked—or maybe he was serious—that he’d seen them "explode" in people's drinks.
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"If something's hot, they don't last very long," he told reporters. "Sometimes a matter of seconds."
But the official text of Executive Order 14208 goes deeper than just complaining about sogginess. It lays out a specific set of justifications that the administration is using to justify the pivot back to plastic.
- Functionality: The order states paper straws are "nonfunctional" because they lose structural integrity in liquid.
- Health Risks: It cites concerns over PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), also known as "forever chemicals," which are sometimes used to make paper straws water-resistant.
- Economic Cost: The White House claims paper straws can cost up to 400% more than plastic ones.
- The "Plastic Wrapper" Irony: Trump pointed out that many paper straws come individually wrapped in plastic anyway, which he argued makes the environmental benefit moot.
The strategy isn't just about federal buildings, though. The administration is looking at "contract policies and terms" with states and cities. This means the federal government might start leaning on local jurisdictions that have plastic straw bans, using federal funding or contracts as leverage to get them to back off.
The Health Argument: Forever Chemicals and Paper
One of the more surprising parts of the "trump banned paper straws" saga is the focus on health. It's not a word usually associated with pro-plastic moves.
A 2023 study from the University of Antwerp actually found that many "eco-friendly" straws, including those made of paper and bamboo, contained measurable amounts of PFAS. These chemicals don't break down in the environment—or your body—and have been linked to various health issues.
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While plastic straws have their own massive environmental downsides, the Trump administration used this study to argue that paper straws were a "genuine risk to human health." It’s a clever bit of rhetorical jujutsu: framing the plastic straw as the "safer" choice for the individual consumer, even if it's worse for the ocean.
Marine Life and the Shark Comment
We have to talk about the sharks. During the signing ceremony, Trump famously dismissed the impact of plastic on marine life.
"I don't think that plastic is going to affect the shark very much as they're munching their way through the ocean," he said.
This flies in the face of decades of marine biology. We’ve all seen the videos of sea turtles with straws stuck in their nostrils. Organizations like Oceana and the Turtle Island Restoration Network were quick to condemn the move. They point out that while straws are a small percentage of total plastic waste, they are "gateway" plastics—items that are easily replaced but cause significant harm to wildlife when they break down into microplastics.
The Political Strategy of JD Vance
Trump wasn't alone in this. His Vice President, JD Vance, has been a vocal supporter of the "National Strategy to End the Use of Paper Straws." In a report released in March 2025, Vance’s office described paper straws as a "pulpy, soggy mess that torments too many of our citizens."
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For Vance and Trump, this is about "common sense." They’re betting that the average American cares more about their iced coffee experience than a global plastic treaty. It’s a classic populist move: take a minor daily annoyance and turn it into a symbol of government overreach.
By framing the issue around disability rights—arguing that people with certain physical needs require the flexibility and durability of plastic—they’ve managed to complicate the narrative even further.
What Happens Now?
The transition back to plastic isn't going to happen overnight everywhere. While federal buildings are swapping out their stock, many "blue" states like California and cities like Seattle still have their own bans in place.
However, the "National Strategy" signaled a shift in how the U.S. approaches international environmentalism. Shortly after the order, the U.S. pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement for the second time and signaled it would oppose a global treaty to cap plastic production, aligning itself with major oil-producing nations like Saudi Arabia and Russia.
What you can do next:
- Check Local Laws: If you own a business, see if your state or city has a standing ban. The federal order only affects federal procurement directly, though it sets a massive precedent.
- Look for Alternatives: If you hate paper but want to avoid plastic, look into stainless steel or silicone reusable straws. Interestingly, the 2023 Antwerp study found stainless steel was the only material completely free of PFAS.
- Stay Updated on DOGE: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is likely to use this executive order as a template for cutting other "virtue signaling" regulations. Keep an eye on their reports for further rollbacks in environmental policy.
The "straw wars" are far from over. They’ve just entered a much more aggressive phase. Whether this is a victory for "common sense" or a disaster for the oceans depends entirely on who you ask, but one thing is certain: the plastic straw is back on the menu in Washington.