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Not "Made in USA": Successful launch of Donald Trump's T1 Phone despite misleading specs

The Trump T1 Phone isn't "Made in USA" as previously advertised. (Image source: Trump Mobile)
The Trump T1 Phone isn't "Made in USA" as previously advertised. (Image source: Trump Mobile)
A significant number of people have allegedly preordered the first smartphone released by US president Donald Trump, with Trump Mobile employees hailing the launch as a complete success. However, it has since emerged that the company wasn't entirely truthful about many aspects of how the smartphone was presented.

In mid-June, US president Donald Trump unveiled Trump Mobile, a new venture offering both cellular service and the Trump T1 Phone. Preorders for the smartphone started in the US shortly after this announcement. Buyers were required to pay a $100 deposit, with the remaining $399 due upon shipment. Whilst the device was initially set for a September release, the product page no longer indicates a specific launch date.

Despite the steep upfront payment and lack of a confirmed release schedule, the Trump T1 Phone has been declared a major success, at least according to Trump Mobile employees interviewed by the Financial Times. Although exact sales figures remain under wraps, it has come to light that the company collected customer deposits whilst failing to disclose the truth in several key areas. In particular, the original “Made in USA” claim has vanished entirely from the product page, replaced by more ambiguous taglines like “designed with American values in mind” and “proudly American”.
 

Trump T1 Phone's product page has removed all claims that the device is made in USA.
Trump T1 Phone's product page has removed all claims that the device is made in USA.


Simply put, the smartphone is neither manufactured in the US nor, in all likelihood, designed there. Although the Trump T1 Phone’s origin has yet to be confirmed, a host of evidence points to it being an OEM device designed and manufactured by Chinese company Wingtech. Considering the Liberty Phone – the only smartphone truly made in the US – retails for over $2,000, it’s hardly surprising that the significantly cheaper Trump T1 Phone isn’t produced in the US after all.

But here comes the real surprise: Besides misrepresenting the phone's origin, Trump Mobile also lied about its specifications. The company initially announced a mid-range smartphone with a 6.78-inch display and 12 GB of RAM. However, the product page now lists a 6.25-inch screen and mentions nothing about memory. The product image likely also doesn't depict the actual device, since it shows a phone without any LED flash. The Verge speculates that Trump Mobile might have switched suppliers midway, meaning customers could end up with a different smartphone from the one they originally preordered.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2025 06 > Not "Made in USA": Successful launch of Donald Trump's T1 Phone despite misleading specs
Hannes Brecher, 2025-06-26 (Update: 2025-06-26)