Trump slams paper straws, vows 'back to plastic'

President Donald Trump on Friday raged against eco-friendly paper straws promoted by his predecessor Joe Biden, and pledged that the United States would return to using plastic ones.

"I will be signing an Executive Order next week ending the ridiculous Biden push for Paper Straws, which don't work. BACK TO PLASTIC!" Trump said on social media.

Democrat Biden had announced a target to eliminate single-used plastic utensils like drinking straws by 2035 in government departments.

Trump's move is the latest on environmental issues by the Republican president, who pulled out of the Paris climate change agreement soon after his inauguration for a second term and has pledged to "drill, baby, drill" for oil.

The growing trend for paper drinking straws has long irritated Trump.

"They want to ban straws. Has anyone tried those paper straws? They're not working too good," he said during a campaign rally in the 2020 election against Biden.

"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 sold branded plastic straws with the slogan: "Liberal paper straws don't work."