Trump Mobile began sending its T1 phone to reviewers and pre-order customers in May 2026, nine months after the promised date. NBC News tested one of the first units and reported on May 18 that the phone is no longer marketed as “Made in the USA.”
What changed
- The $499 phone was announced June 16, 2025, as part of an “all-American” service. TIME reported an estimated 600,000 people paid $100 deposits, with an August 2025 launch planned.
- The release date slipped several times. In April 2026 the company revised its deposit terms to say a deposit “is not a purchase.”
- Trump Mobile now says the phone is “designed with American values in mind,” TIME reported.
- CEO Pat O’Brien told USA TODAY the first T1 phones were assembled in the USA and that future models will use components primarily made in the USA, the El Paso Times reported.
Why it matters for Made in USA
Under the FTC’s standard, USA assembly alone does not support an unqualified “Made in USA” claim for a phone built from imported parts. Dropping the claim was the legally safer choice. It also shows how hard it is to make consumer electronics in the USA. Earlier coverage: the June 2025 website change and the November 2025 delay.
FAQ
Is the Trump Mobile T1 made in the USA?
It is no longer marketed that way. The company now says it is “designed with American values in mind.”
When did it ship?
Trump Mobile began shipping in mid-May 2026, about nine months late.
What did the CEO say about production?
Pat O’Brien told USA TODAY the first phones were assembled in the USA and future models will use mostly USA-made components.
Source & credit
Originally reported by NBC News (Brian Cheung, Maya Huter), May 18, 2026: We tested the Trump Mobile phone. It was 9 months late and no longer ‘Made in the USA.’. Additional reporting: TIME and El Paso Times.