In a move likely aimed at antagonising Democrats concerned about the fate of the environment, Donald Trump's re-election campaign is selling branded plastic straws - and people are buying them.
Over the weekend, the US President's campaign manager Brad Parscale tweeted that the straws had raised "almost half a million [US] dollars" to go towards Mr Trump's re-election since they launched on 19 July, alongside the hashtag #MakingStrawsGreatAgain.
On the official Trump campaign product page, the straws are described as BPA free and 22cm long.
The pack of 10 identical straws, which feature a laser engraved "Trump" logo, will set you back $US15.
A week earlier, shortly after the straws debut, national spokesperson for the Republican National Committee Elizabeth Harrington tweeted that they had sold out before returning to the website hours later.
The provocative move follows a series of plastic straw bans launched across the US - and the world more broadly - aimed at reducing the amount of plastic waste in landfill and preventing the death of sea animals, such as turtles, who can inhale the straws once they find their way into the ocean.
In response to statistics claiming up to 8.3 billion plastic straws are littering beaches across the world, environmental advocates have led a push towards the use of paper or reusable metal straws to combat the waste.
While described as "recyclable" on the product page, recycling advice states that plastic straws are generally not accepted in kerbside recycling and should be disposed of with general waste.
Some of the US President's most memorable tweets have also been immortalised on mugs, stubbie coolers and t-shirts. Source: donaldjtrump.com
"Liberal paper straws don’t work," the product description for the straws read.
"Stand with President Trump and buy your pack of recyclable straws today."
If expensive plastic straws don't take your fancy, the shop also stocks stubbie coolers, t-shirts and mugs featuring some of the President's most memorable tweets.
According to Politico, the idea for Trump-branded straws was born when Mr Parscale's paper straw ripped in half while he was trying to enjoy an iced tea on a flight earlier this month.
The campaign manager quickly tweeted that he was "so over paper straws", comparing the fact the straw was squeezed until it was unable to work to what a Liberal government would do to the economy.
The tweet, featuring a picture of the collapsing paper straw, was shared more than two thousand times.
Shortly after, the Trump straws were reportedly in production.
