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Trump: Sharks won't be hurt by plastic straws as they 'munch their …
Reuters
US president Donald Trump has pledged to 'back plastic straws' after he signed an executive order to end the "forced use of paper straws".
This reverses a policy under the Biden administration which planned to phase out federal purchases of single-use plastics, including straws, from food service operations, events and packaging by 2027, with the goal for it to be removed from all federal operations by 2035.
"We're going back to plastic straws," Trump informed reporters at the White House on Monday (February 10).
"These things don't work, I've had them many times, and on occasion, they break, they explode. If something's hot, they don't last very long, like a matter of minutes, sometimes a matter of seconds. It's a ridiculous situation," he said, speaking about paper straws.
Trump doesn't seem too concerned about plastic straws polluting the planet and thinks “it’s OK” to keep using them.
The president added: “I don’t think that plastic is going to affect the shark very much as they’re ... munching their way through the ocean".
According to research, over 500 million disposable drinking straws are used daily and there are up to 8.3 billion plastic straws contaminating the world’s beaches, with 7.5 million of plastic straws estimated to reside in America’s coastline.
On his platform Truth Social, Trump posted: “Crooked Joe’s MANDATE, ‘NO PLASTIC STRAWS, ONLY PAPER,’ IS DEAD! Enjoy your next drink without a straw that disgustingly dissolves in your mouth!!!”
Trump has not been a fan of paper straws for a while, as back in the 2020 presidential campaign he sold "Trump" plastic straws in packs of 10 for $15, on his website alongside the claim that “liberal paper straws don’t work”.
Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
He also said in a campaign rally that same year: "“They want to ban straws. Has anyone tried those paper straws? They’re not working too good.
“It disintegrates as you drink it.”
Though on social media, people have expressed that there are more pressing issues at hand than whether or not we're drinking through plastic or paper straws, such as the bringing down the price of groceries which was one of Trump's big campaign pledges.
"Trump signed an executive order requiring that the government use plastic straws, undoing a Biden initiative to phase in paper straws. (“They break, they explode.”) Your democracy at work," wrote Steven Erianger, Chief Diplomatic Correspondent Europe at The New York Times.
Another person posted: "Because bringing back plastic straws is going to decrease the price of food and gas. MakE AmERiCa GrEAT aGAiN."
"Oh that’s awesome…now I can feed my family eggs and put gas in my car. Thank you Donald Trump for getting rid of plastic straws! #sarcasm," a third user said.
"I’m so glad that Donald Trump listened to the #1 issue concerning Americans and finally gave us our plastic straws back," a fourth person commented.
Someone else noted: "Notice Donald Trump mentions nothing about homeless Veterans and how he’s working to get them housing? However, Americans can rest tonight knowing they can get a plastic straw at McDonalds."
"Some presidents won wars. Some presidents ended slavery. Some presidents redefined healthcare. Some presidents helped write the constitution. Donald Trump is bringing back plastic straws. MAGA, you must be so proud," another X, formerly Twitter user posted.
When asked on Sunday (February 9) by Fox News anchor Bret Baier when families “will be able to feel prices going own," Trump replied: "No, I think we’re gonna become a rich…
"Now look, we aren’t that rich right now, we owe $36 trillion, that’s because we let all these nations take advantage of us.
“Same thing like 200 billion with Canada, we have a 300… We have a deficit with Mexico, $350 billion, I was like, ‘I’m not going to do that, I’m not going to let that happen.’”
Elsewhere, Trump tries to explain how he'll bring down the price of groceries - and his answer should worry you, and Trump’s 'Gulf of America' name change sparks Twitter/X comparisons.
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