US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to remove restrictions on showerhead water pressure, declaring the move would “make America’s showers great again”, in a nod to his well-known catchphrase.
Trump has frequently expressed frustration with what he describes as low-pressure showers caused by federal water conservation rules. As he signed the order in the Oval Office on Wednesday, he said, “In my case I like to take a nice shower, to take care of my beautiful hair… I have to stand under the shower for 15 minutes till it gets wet. It comes out drip, drip, drip. It’s ridiculous.”
The executive order instructs the US Department of Energy to repeal regulations limiting showerhead flow to 2.5 gallons (about 9.5 litres) per minute — rules first introduced as part of broader water-saving efforts.
The White House issued a statement claiming the policy would relieve Americans from “excessive regulations” that had turned a “basic household item into a bureaucratic nightmare”, describing the move as ending the “Obama-Biden war on showers”.
Trump has previously taken aim at water usage standards for a range of appliances including toilets and dishwashers. In 2020, he told reporters outside the White House, “My hair, I don’t know about you, but it has to be perfect, perfect.”
During a campaign rally in Detroit in June 2024, he added, “I take a shower, I want that beautiful head of hair to be just lathered. I get this best stuff you can buy and I dump it all over. And then I turn on the water and the damn water drips out. I can’t get the stuff out of my hair. It’s a horrible thing.”
However, not everyone is convinced of the need for change. The Appliance Standards Awareness Project, a non-governmental organisation advocating for energy efficiency, said showerhead regulations benefit both the environment and consumers.
“Shower head standards save consumers money on their water and energy bills and help the environment,” it said in a 2024 report, adding that modern models still provide “an excellent shower experience”.
