Executive Order 14208 aims to eliminate the use of paper straws throughout the federal government and discourage their use nationwide. The order characterizes paper straws as the product of an "irrational campaign against plastic straws" that has resulted in bans by cities, states, and businesses. According to the order, paper straws are "nonfunctional," potentially contain harmful chemicals, cost more to produce than plastic alternatives, and often require multiple uses. The order also claims that paper straws are sometimes individually wrapped in plastic, which it suggests undermines environmental arguments for their adoption.
The directive instructs all executive department and agency heads to take appropriate actions to end the procurement of paper straws and ensure they are no longer provided in federal buildings. It specifically requires agencies to eliminate policies that disfavor plastic straws, including those implemented under Executive Order 14057 (Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability), which the order notes was revoked on January 20, 2025. The executive order establishes a 45-day timeline for the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy to develop a National Strategy to End the Use of Paper Straws, in coordination with relevant agencies.
The forthcoming National Strategy will address three key areas: eliminating all executive branch policies that disfavor plastic straws, reviewing contract policies with entities (including states) that ban or penalize plastic straw use, and identifying all available tools to achieve nationwide elimination of paper straws. The order includes standard language indicating that implementation is subject to applicable law and available appropriations, and explicitly states it does not create any enforceable rights or benefits. By framing paper straw elimination as both a consumer convenience issue and questioning the environmental benefits, the order represents a significant reversal of sustainability policies adopted by previous administrations, particularly regarding single-use plastics in federal operations.