‘Liberal paper straws don’t work,’ blurb reads in hopes of riling those who are keen to protect the environment from plastic

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

In the race to raise as much cash as possible ahead of the 2020 election, Donald Trump’s campaign has hit on a novel, and successful, idea: selling plastic straws.

Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, said last week that his team has raked in almost $500,000 in one week from selling Trump branded, “laser engraved”, nine-inch long straws.

It’s a tidy sum and, given Trump’s six corporate bankruptcies, string of failed companies, and ability to lose more than $1bn between 1985 and 1994, the straw selling may rank as one of the president’s most successful business ventures.

The idea for the straws, however, actually came from Brad Parscale, Trump’s 2020 campaign manager.

According to Politico, Parscale was irked when a paper straw he was using ripped in half. He tweeted about his experience, declaring: “I’m so over paper straws”, and the notion of Trump straws grew from there.

“Prodded by his wife not to leave it at that, Parscale emailed his staff from the air with an idea: Let’s sell plastic Trump straws,” Politico reported.

In short order, the campaign sent an email to supporters with the subject line, “Making straws great again.” By the time Parscale landed in Florida, the presidential straws were already in production and an advertising campaign was up and running. The first batch was sold out within hours.

The Trump 2020 campaign said the straws had raked in more than $456,000 in sales since 19 July.

The success of the plastic straws – which the campaign says are recyclable – is likely due to the hope of riling perceived liberals, or anyone who is not keen on clogging up landfill, oceans, or turtles’ noses with plastic straws. Trump has previously said the US has bigger environmental problems than straws.

“Liberal paper straws don’t work,” the blurb reads.

“STAND WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP and buy your pack of recyclable straws today.”

The ten straws cost $15, with a delivery fee of $5.06 to New York City.

On Amazon 250 straws can be purchased for $9.99.

New York city to consider banning plastic straws Read more

In the US, the west coast cities of Seattle – following a campaign dubbed “Strawless in Seattle” – and Malibu, near Los Angeles, have declared war on straws, while statewide bans of the items are being considered in California and Hawaii.

A recent study estimated that there are about 7.5m plastic straws strewn on America’s beaches, amid 35m tons of plastic pollution produced worldwide every year, an estimated quarter of which is dumped in rivers, streams and the oceans.

Many countries are moving to phase out plastics in various forms.