What Does An Executive Order Against Paper Straws Actually Do?

Many people insist that straws make drinks taste better, and science supports this. But the material they are made from has long been a source of controversy. Paper straws may soon disappear in some places after President Donald Trump recently announced that he would sign an executive order — perhaps as soon as next week — ending a push for paper straws that began under the Biden Administration. 

On his social media platform, Truth Social (via Newsweek), the President declared, "BACK TO PLASTIC!" It remains to be seen what effect an executive order would have on paper straws, specifically. But Trump has long decried their use, and an executive order would, at the very least, come as a blow to the nation's recent efforts to curb the use of plastic straws along with other single-use plastic materials and utensils.

Former president Joe Biden announced efforts to reduce plastic pollution, particularly single-use plastics like straws, in November 2024. Prior to that, Biden signed an executive order last summer to phase out single-use plastics in the government's food service operation by 2027 and eliminate all of them by 2035. Previously, the Department of the Interior in 2022 announced plans to phase out single-use products such as plastic straws, plastic bags, and cutlery by 2032.

The invention of the paper straw goes back to 1888, but their use in the United States has skyrocketed in the last decade as environmentalists have noted the harmful effects of plastic straws on the environment, including plant and animal life. Similarly, a 2023 study found that plastic produce packaging contributes to pollution and waste in many ways. As a result, many companies have become more eco-conscious. 

In July 2018, Seattle became the first U.S. city to ban plastic straws at the same time as Starbucks announced plans to eliminate plastic straws from its stores by 2020 and some stores started keeping straws behind the counter to deter their use. By 2019, many restaurant and cafe locations in California and Washington, D.C., had swapped plastic straws for paper alternatives. President Donald Trump, a noted fast food enthusiast, had spoken out against the use of paper straws long before his announcement of an executive order. 

He discussed his disdain for them during campaign rallies in 2020, and his campaign sold red plastic straws with "Trump" written on them during the 2020 election season. According to The New York Times, it wasn't immediately clear whether an upcoming executive order on paper straws would end former president Joe Biden's earlier push within the federal government, or if it simply refers to Trump's desire for the renewed use of plastic straws. The Times reported on Friday, February 7, 2025, that the White House didn't offer a clarification when asked to comment.