Donald Trump’s new $499 gold-plated mobile phone has finally released after months of delays, but there is a huge design flaw with the new device.
Move over iPhone-versus-Android: a new handset has entered the conversation. It’s called Trump Mobile ‘T1’ and was first unveiled last June by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.
At the time, a press release described it as an ‘all-American’ phone carrier and linked the launch to the tenth anniversary of Trump’s decision to run for the White House.
Even though customers were able to place $100 deposits, the rollout quickly became uncertain. The phone was initially expected to launch in August 2025, but Trump Mobile later hinted the device might never be released.
“A preorder deposit provides only a conditional opportunity if Trump Mobile later elects, in its sole discretion, to offer the Device for sale,” the pre-order terms and condition on the mobile website stated.
“A deposit is not a purchase, does not constitute acceptance of an order, does not create a contract for sale, does not transfer ownership or title interest, does not allocate or reserve specific inventory, and does not guarantee that a Device will be produced or made available for purchase.”
Now, Trump Mobile has begun shipping devices to people who put down deposits, as well as sending out units to members of the media. But early attention has quickly landed on one major design issue.
Before release, the company promoted the ‘golden phone’ as being ‘MADE in America’. Since then, the wording has been softened to ‘designed with American values in mind’.
Pat O’Brien, the CEO of Trump Mobile, told USA Today the phones were ‘assembled’ in the US and said they would use components ‘primarily manufactured in America’.
However, specialists who spoke to NBC News said the device appears to closely resemble an HTC U-24 Pro, which is assembled in Taiwan.
Separately, reviewers and early buyers have pointed to a notable visual oddity: the American flag styling on the handset appears to show 11 stripes, rather than the traditional 13.
O’Brien told USA Today that Trump Mobile has been ‘incredibly pleased with the interest in both the Trump Mobile service and the T1 phones’ and said pre-orders would be shipped over the coming weeks.
He did not disclose how many pre-orders had been placed for the smartphone.
The phone’s launch date shifted multiple times leading up to this week’s release, with O’Brien saying ‘those delays were worth it in our minds as we are delivering an amazing product’.