Trump Mobile’s Golden T1 Phone Finally Ships — To Harsh Reviews
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Almost a year after the Trump Organization announced Trump Mobile promising both The 47 Plan at $47.45/month and a premium phone called the T1, the T1 has finally shipped to select media members. While it’s uncertain as to whether or not the T1 has been delivered to regular customers since Trump Mobile promised shipping would begin, some tech reviewers have gotten their hands on it.
The media was confused about the T1 from the very beginning. Early images looked like a cross between an iPhone and a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra wrapped in a Spigen case. Skepticism grew when the initial claim of the T1 being “Made in the USA” changed to “Designed with American values in mind” and then again to having an “American-Proud Design…brought to life right here in the USA.” Critics doubted Trump Mobile’s ability to navigate the kind of supply chain and logistical challenges Apple and others face when manufacturing smartphones.
As it turns out, “Made in the USA” isn’t simply a label you can slap on a product. There are strict guidelines to adhere to. According to editors at CNET, the T1 doesn’t say where it’s manufactured or by whom, with the box only noting that it’s “Proudly Assembled in the U.S.A.” (emphasis ours). Trump Mobile’s website still describes the T1 as having an “American Proud Design” and using “…American teams helping guide the design and quality.”
Remember, the T1 costs $499 and sports a 6.78-inch screen. Even though the device has finally made its way to select media members, everyday consumers still can’t buy it outright on the Trump Mobile website. Despite the claim made two weeks ago that the T1 will begin shipping “this week,” Trump Mobile is still only accepting $100 deposits for the T1. The cheapest iPhone currently available through Apple directly is the iPhone 17e at $599, which comes with a 6.1-inch display and 256 GB storage compared to the T1’s 512 GB storage capacity.
The first visual impressions of the T1’s gold appearance aren’t quite what Trump Mobile was trying to achieve. CNET reviewers referred to it as “the same color as Scrooge McDuck’s gold coins.” They said it’s not quite as shiny as expected, but more “mustard (or urine)” and prone to fingerprints. Ouch. To make things worse, the American flag printed on the T1’s back has only 11 stripes instead of the standard 13.
Curiously, the T1’s hardware specs aren’t clear. While CNET indicated the T1 runs Android 15 (not the latest Android 16) and seems similar in performance with regards to the processing and graphics of the Taiwanese phone HTC U24 Pro 5G, that phone was made in 2024. Some others believe the T1 could be a modified T-Mobile Revvl 7 Pro which was originally priced at $250 in 2024. There is no information on how or how long Trump Mobile will handle security updates.
Even if Trump Mobile were to match Motorola’s 3-year commitment to OS and security updates for its budget phones, the T1’s hardware might still limit its longevity.
Additional complaints include call quality and the camera. Reviewers described it as “generally fine” but noticed less noise cancellation and louder background noise than other phones and voice quality sounding “tinny.” As far as the camera, the colors were inaccurately bright and there’s a delay when taking a photo.
…there’s a split second between pressing the on-screen shutter button and the photo actually being taken, which often means missing out on the best shot possible, as well as making action shots blurry.
On the positive side, reviewers do seem to appreciate the 3.5 mm headphone jack and reception. There’s also not much in the way of “bloatware” or pre-installed apps or software that eats up storage and drains the battery (which performs slightly worse than comparable phones). Truth Social, Trump’s social media network, does come pre-loaded.
We’ll see how the general public responds if and when they actually receive their orders. For now, it seems difficult to recommend a $500 purchase on a device consumers rely on daily with the uncertainty of what you’re actually getting on top of how it will manage security updates compared to those regularly released by more established brands like Apple, Google, and Samsung. If you ordered a T1, let us know when you receive it and if you like it!
