The mobile phone company launched this year by the Trump Organization is delaying the release of its gold-colored phone, blaming the government shutdown for the hold up, according to a new report.
The Trump Organization, led by the president’s sons Eric and Donald Jr., announced a wireless service in June, saying that a “sleek, gold smartphone” made in the US would be released this year.
But deliveries of the device were delayed by the historic, 43-day government shutdown in the fall, the company’s customer service reps told the Financial Times.
Trump Mobile’s “T1” smartphone was initially set to be released in August and sell for $499, with a $100 prepayment required to secure the phones, the company’s website stated earlier this year.
Trump Mobile later said the devices would come out by the end of 2025, according to the FT.
In the meantime, it began selling second-hand iPhones and Androids for a bit less than Apple and Samsung’s prices.
Trump Mobile charges $459 for a Samsung S24, or $30 less than what Samsung lists on its website, while a Trump-sold 2023 iPhone 15 costs $629, or $70 less than a new iPhone16, the FT reported.
The Trump administration has pushed for Apple and Samsung to manufacture their phones in the US, while the vast majority of their components are manufactured in Asia.
Trump Mobile previously said its phones would be be made in Alabama, California and Florida, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Facing enormous logistical hurdles, the company later indicated it might change its plans, using marketing slogans like “proudly American” instead of “Made in the U.S.A.”
The Federal Trade Commission requires companies that use “Made in the U.S.A.” labels to produce their products here.
Trump Mobile’s wireless service was priced at $47.45 a month plan – a reference to Trump as the 45th and 47th president – that includes unlimited talk, text and data, as well as roadside assistance and telehealth services, according to the company’s website.
The Post has reached out to Trump Mobile for comment.
