Trump Mobile Breaks False ‘Made in America’ Commitment
The T1, often referred to as the “Trump Phone,” will not be released in time to compete with the iPhone 17. Following its announcement over a week ago, assertions about the device being manufactured in America have been removed from the official website. The Trump Organization unveiled this phone on the tenth anniversary of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign kick-off.
It is marketed alongside Trump Mobile, a T-Mobile-powered MVNO, and was initially promoted as a “made in America” smartphone. However, it was quickly revealed that the T1 Phone is likely just a re-skinned version of the REVVL 7 Pro 5G, a Chinese-manufactured device priced at $169. This model has faced recalls due to various issues.
The Trump Mobile website has since removed all references to “made in America,” replacing them with vague phrases like “proudly American” and “American hands behind every device.” Other specifications have also changed, showing a smaller 6.25-inch display and omitting previous mentions of RAM or storage. The phone is still retailing at $500, more than twice the price of its apparent original model.
Similarly, the monthly plan of $47.45 is nearly double the cost of comparable MVNO plans. Despite the Trump family’s promotional efforts, which lacked specificity, the notion of “made in America” quickly shifted to being an aspirational goal. Interestingly, both the T1 Phone and Trump Mobile are paid licenses rather than true offerings from the Trump Organization.
While Donald Trump is not directly managing this venture, his sons oversee it, and he retains significant influence through a trust. Despite the misleading claims surrounding the device and its higher-than-expected pricing, it may still attract a devoted following among Trump supporters. However, potential delays in shipping could indicate that the T1 Phone project might face significant challenges before it even launches.
With its delay, any potential threat to Apple’s iPhone sales from this phone has been effectively postponed until after the iPhone 17 is revealed in September.