President Trump's 2020 Campaign Is Now Selling Plastic Straws: 'Liberal Paper Straws Don't Work'
President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign store sells “Make America Great Again” hats, T-shirts, cups, towels and even dog leashes. But one of its newest items might be one of the campaign’s biggest attempt to troll the other side: Trump-branded plastic straws.
According to the campaign store, for $15, those interested can purchase a 10-pack of the red straws with Trump’s name “laser engraved” on them. The new campaign merchandise seems to come as a response to increasing concerned about plastic usage and waste. A video that went viral last year of a marine biologist removing a plastic straw from a sea turtle’s nose brought attention to the issue and many communities and businesses have begun to ban the use of plastic straws altogether.
The description of the Trump straws is not subtle about the message the merchandise is meant to send. “Liberal paper straws don’t work. Stand with President Trump and buy your pack of recyclable straws today,” it reads.
Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, tweeted about the new straws on Thursday, saying “Make Straws Great Again.”
Making Straws Great Again #Trump2020https://t.co/kHXWaUnKt6
— Brad Parscale (@parscale) July 18, 2019
Though the straws themselves do obviously seem meant to troll environmental concerns about plastic waste, the description also points out that they are reusable and recyclable. It also says they were made in the U.S.
Plastic straws have started to disappear from restaurants, coffee shops, hotels and airlines. Cities and states have also cut back on the use of plastic straws. Some cities like Seattle have completely banned them.
In response to Parscale’s tweet, Donald Trump Jr. joked that the straws might be illegal in some states.
May not be legal in some states.🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/kZdPQOrrb3
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 18, 2019
Parscale said that more than 140,000 straws have been sold as of Monday morning.
We have sold more than 140,000 straws. That is over $200,000 raised.
More than half of all Straw purchasers were BRAND NEW small dollar donors.
Amazing!— Brad Parscale (@parscale) July 22, 2019
The sale of plastic straws comes on the heels of Trump touting his environmental record earlier this month, saying that under his leadership, America has the cleanest water and air in the world.