Posted on Wednesday, July 23, 2025
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by Alan Jamison
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1 Comments
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The Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) officially introduced a new rule this week to end the Biden administration’s paper straw mandate across the executive branch. While the change is undoubtedly a minor one compared to Trump’s other more far-reaching policies, it nonetheless demonstrates the President’s commitment to fulfill all of his campaign promises and target woke excess in whatever form it may take.
Trump famously (and hilariously) mocked the paper straw mandate during his 2024 campaign – just one of many such cases in which he poked fun at liberal virtue signaling that made life needlessly more inconvenient. This new ruling will likely see the federal government once again adopt plastic straws as the standard.
OMB introduced the new rule with a 60-day window to allow for public comments ending September 19. OMB explains in the ruling that paper straws are more expensive, provide less utility, and pose greater health risks than plastic straws. If the proposed rule is finalized, straws purchased by the government must “have the strength and durability of plastic straws.”
New York Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney also introduced legislation in the House last week that would prohibit the federal government from enacting plastic straw bans in the future. She praised President Trump for fulfilling his promise to end federal bans of plastic straws and explained the importance of her own bill in a post on X.
“Soggy paper straws are more than just annoying; they’re a symbol of the Left’s radical climate agenda,” Tenney said. “The Better Straws Act bans federally mandated paper straws & puts consumers back in charge. [Trump] & I are working to restore common sense!”
In July 2024, Joe Biden’s administration announced plans to phase out federal procurement of single-use plastics, including plastic straws, by 2027 and from all federal operations by 2035. Trump signed an executive order on February 10 to end the forced procurement and use of paper straws originally enacted by Biden.
Trump explained in his executive order that paper straws “use chemicals that may carry risks to human health, are more expensive to produce than plastic straws, and often force users to use multiple straws.” He added that paper straws are often individually wrapped, undermining the argument that they are environmentally friendly.
The intent of Trump’s executive order was to direct the federal government to “stop purchasing paper straws and ensure they are no longer provided within Federal buildings.” OMB’s proposed ruling is the administration now carrying out the president’s executive order.
OMB senior advisor Dr. Kevin Rhodes told The Federalist that the plastic straw ban had even impacted Veterans’ Affairs (VA) facilities.
“I was in the service for 25 years as a military member, and now as a veteran…you have an expectation that your straw works,” he explained. “We’re asking folks to go out and do arduous things and put their life on the line, and then they come home and as veterans and receive service. Don’t you think at the most fundamental, basic level, [when] they go to take a sip of their drink, their damn straw works?”
He added that the Trump administration’s return to plastic straws is part of the United States returning to what works. “We’re getting back to basics. Straws that work, an economy that works, a country that works,” Rhodes said.
Alan Jamison is the pen name of a political writer with extensive experience writing for several notable politicians and news outlets.
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