Trump Mobile Blames Government Shutdown For $499 Gold T1 Android Phone Delay
The delay is the latest chapter in the saga of the Trump-branded smartphone, a project that has faced more hurdles than a track meet. As we noted earlier last year, the T1 was marketed with the kind of subtlety one expects from a brand that puts its name on skyscrapers: it was "Proudly American" and "designed with American values." Early promotional materials even suggested the phone would be "Made in the USA," a bold claim in an industry where nearly every circuit board is born in Asia, let along a relatively affordable $499 MSRP. As reality hit, Trump's marketing team has swiftly pivoted to say the phone will be "brought to life" in America. This is the technical term for: "We might have unpacked the boxes here."
Meanwhile, the internet has reacted with its usual style of skeptical whimsy. We've seen jokes ranging from the phone’s battery life being measured in rallies rather than hours, and rumors that the autocorrect feature will automatically capitalize every third word for emphasis.
While waiting for their gold-plated hardware, fans can still sign up for the 47 service plan, priced at $47.45 a month. For that, you get unlimited data and the satisfaction of knowing your monthly bill is a numerical tribute to the 45th and 47th President. But if you actually wanted a phone to use that service with, the Trump Mobile website has a hilarious backup plan: its currently selling refurbished iPhone and Samsung devices. Nothing says "disrupting the tech giants" like selling your customers a pre-owned iPhone 15 at a slightly lower price than the new iPhone 16.
The T1's hardware remains a bit of a cryptid. Details of the phone, such as the processor type and RAM, have remained a mystery. If you squint, the Trump Phone might just be an older Samsung Galaxy that spent too much time at Mar-a-Lago.
