One of President Donald Trump’s latest business ventures, a branded smartphone called the T1, still hasn’t reached customers’ hands months after it was first announced.
To make matters worse, the company behind it, Trump Mobile, has quietly dropped its promise that the phone would be “Made in the USA.”
In June, Trump’s sons held an event at Trump Tower to unveil the T1 phone, which featured an American flag on its back and launched alongside a new wireless service.
The announcement was timed with the 10th anniversary of Trump’s first presidential campaign. The phone was priced at $499, with a $100 deposit required to pre-order.
Originally, the T1 was supposed to ship in August. But as of late November, no customers appear to have received one.
Unfulfilled Orders and Vague Responses
NBC News placed an order for the phone back in August and paid the deposit.
After confirming the transaction was valid, they received a confirmation email but got no follow-up communication.
Between September and November, NBC made five separate calls to the Trump Mobile customer support line.
In one of those calls, an operator gave a ship date of Nov. 13. That date came and went without a delivery.
When NBC followed up, they were told the phone might arrive in “the beginning of December,” but no firm date was provided.
The operator also blamed the government shutdown for the delay, though no specifics were given.
Website Language Quietly Changes
Since the launch, Trump Mobile has made subtle changes to its website. Any mention of the phone being “Made in the USA” has disappeared.
Instead, the website now says the phone is “brought to life right here in the USA. With American hands behind every device,” and that it has an “American-proud design.”
Experts Cast Doubt on U.S. Manufacturing Claims
Tech experts have long questioned the company’s original claim that the phone would be made entirely in the United States.
Todd Weaver, CEO of Purism, a company that sells the Liberty Phone, the only U.S.-made smartphone on the market, told NBC that manufacturing phones in America isn’t easy.
“We actually had to go over to China with our designs, to learn the process, the manufacturing process, to see what are all the steps,” Weaver said.
He noted that it took six years to get the Liberty Phone from concept to production.
Even then, the Liberty Phone is not 100% U.S.-sourced.
While most parts come from North America or Europe, some components, like the chassis, are still made in countries such as China and India.
Marketing Photos Stir More Confusion
The Trump Mobile rollout has also raised eyebrows due to conflicting promotional images. When first announced, the T1 phone featured an iPhone-like design with three rear cameras.
But in August, Trump Mobile’s X account posted an update showing a phone with more than three cameras.
Tech site The Verge reported that the new image looked like a render of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Phone case company Spigen even suggested the image had used one of its cases and hinted it might sue, though no lawsuit has been filed.
Trump Mobile Still Taking Deposits
Meanwhile, Trump Mobile continues to collect $100 deposits on its website, now stating the phone will be available “later this year.”
The company is also selling refurbished iPhones and Samsung phones, describing both as “brought to life right here in the USA.”
Neither the Trump Organization nor Trump Mobile responded to NBC’s multiple requests for comment about the delays or changes to the phone’s manufacturing claims.
While some customers may still be holding out hope, others are left wondering if the T1 will ever ship at all, and what exactly they’re getting if it does.