Cannot get php to trim();

My code is:

    <div><?php
        $strpTotal = $total['value'];
        $totalVal = trim($strpTotal, "$");
        if ( $totalVal < 100 ){
                        echo 'My Text';} ?>
                        <br />
         <?php          echo  "totalVal: " . $totalVal;
                ?></div>

So adding this to a normal php file uploading it to a server and definning $total works fine. So I add this same code to email-order-details.php for woocommerce to include my echoed text when order is less than 100. I test this with an order less than 100 and over 100 and the text gets echoed regardless of the total and the $totalVal still echoes the total value of the order with the $. I can see this making the if script fail and not echoing but regardless it still echoes in the email. I have tried str_replace, ltrim, chop and nothing removes the $ from the total amount.

The total code of the file:

<?php
/**
 * Order details table shown in emails.
 *
 * This template can be overridden by copying it to yourtheme/woocommerce/emails/email-order-details.php.
 *
 * HOWEVER, on occasion WooCommerce will need to update template files and you
 * (the theme developer) will need to copy the new files to your theme to
 * maintain compatibility. We try to do this as little as possible, but it does
 * happen. When this occurs the version of the template file will be bumped and
 * the readme will list any important changes.
 *
 * @see https://docs.woocommerce.com/document/template-structure/
 * @package WooCommerce/Templates/Emails
 * @version 3.3.1
 */

if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
	exit;
}

$text_align = is_rtl() ? 'right' : 'left';

do_action( 'woocommerce_email_before_order_table', $order, $sent_to_admin, $plain_text, $email ); ?>

<h2>
	<?php
	if ( $sent_to_admin ) {
		$before = '<a class="link" href="' . esc_url( $order->get_edit_order_url() ) . '">';
		$after  = '</a>';
	} else {
		$before = '';
		$after  = '';
	}
	/* translators: %s: Order ID. */
	echo wp_kses_post( $before . sprintf( __( '[Order #%s]', 'woocommerce' ) . $after . ' (<time datetime="%s">%s</time>)', $order->get_order_number(), $order->get_date_created()->format( 'c' ), wc_format_datetime( $order->get_date_created() ) ) );
	?>
</h2>

<div style="margin-bottom: 40px;">
	<table class="td" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6" style="width: 100%; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif;" border="1">
		<thead>
			<tr>
				<th class="td" scope="col" style="text-align:<?php echo esc_attr( $text_align ); ?>;"><?php esc_html_e( 'Product', 'woocommerce' ); ?></th>
				<th class="td" scope="col" style="text-align:<?php echo esc_attr( $text_align ); ?>;"><?php esc_html_e( 'Quantity', 'woocommerce' ); ?></th>
				<th class="td" scope="col" style="text-align:<?php echo esc_attr( $text_align ); ?>;"><?php esc_html_e( 'Price', 'woocommerce' ); ?></th>
			</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
			<?php
			echo wc_get_email_order_items( $order, array( // WPCS: XSS ok.
				'show_sku'      => $sent_to_admin,
				'show_image'    => false,
				'image_size'    => array( 32, 32 ),
				'plain_text'    => $plain_text,
				'sent_to_admin' => $sent_to_admin,
			) );
			?>
		</tbody>
		<tfoot>
			<?php
			$totals = $order->get_order_item_totals();

			if ( $totals ) {
				$i = 0;
				foreach ( $totals as $total ) {
					$i++;
					?>
					<tr>
						<th class="td" scope="row" colspan="2" style="text-align:<?php echo esc_attr( $text_align ); ?>; <?php echo ( 1 === $i ) ? 'border-top-width: 4px;' : ''; ?>"><?php echo wp_kses_post( $total['label'] ); ?></th>
						<td class="td" style="text-align:<?php echo esc_attr( $text_align ); ?>; <?php echo ( 1 === $i ) ? 'border-top-width: 4px;' : ''; ?>"><?php echo wp_kses_post( $total['value'] ); ?></td>
					</tr>
					<?php
				}
			}
			if ( $order->get_customer_note() ) {
				?>
            
				<tr>
					<th class="td" scope="row" colspan="2" style="text-align:<?php echo esc_attr( $text_align ); ?>;"><?php esc_html_e( 'Note:', 'woocommerce' ); ?></th>
					<td class="td" style="text-align:<?php echo esc_attr( $text_align ); ?>;"><?php echo wp_kses_post( wptexturize( $order->get_customer_note() ) ); ?></td>
				</tr>
				<?php
			}
			?>
		</tfoot>
	</table>
    <div><?php
        $strpTotal = $total['value'];
        $totalVal = trim($strpTotal, "$");
        if ( $totalVal < 100 ){
                        echo 'My Text';} ?>
                        <br />
         <?php          echo  "totalVal: " . $totalVal;
                ?></div>

</div>

<?php do_action( 'woocommerce_email_after_order_table', $order, $sent_to_admin, $plain_text, $email ); ?>