Gold in colour, costs $499: Five things to know about Trump's new ‘Made in America' phone

Indian Express

4 hours ago

The Trump Organisation, led by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, has launched 'Trump Mobile,' a new smartphone and wireless service. This venture aims to provide 'true value' to customers, particularly those underserved in the telecom industry. They claim their service will offer high-quality products and customer support, with a focus on conservative consumers.
The Trump-branded smartphone will sell for $499 (around ₹41,400). Images show a gold-coloured device, and the phone is currently available for pre-order on Trump Mobile's official website with a $100 (₹8,300) deposit.
The Trump family has said the phone will be made in the United States. But the BBC reported that industry experts have cast doubt on whether this is possible.
Professor Tinglong Dai from Johns Hopkins University told the BBC, 'They don't even have a working prototype. It's extremely unlikely.' Another analyst, Leo Gebbie from CCS Insight, said, 'The US simply does not have the high-tech supply chain needed to build smartphones from scratch.'
Gebbie added that the most likely scenario is that parts will be imported, and the phone may be assembled in the US.
Trump Mobile will also offer a mobile phone plan that costs $47.45 per month (about ₹3,940) offering unlimited service, free international calls, and US-based support.
The BBC reports that the announcement did not name the partner company running the service or explain the phone's technical specifications.
Some critics have raised concerns about President Trump's personal financial benefit while in office. Meghan Faulkner, from the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told the BBC, 'It's unbelievable that the Trump family has created yet another way for President Trump to personally profit while in office.'
The group also questioned whether the service might attract customers hoping to influence the president.
So far, the Trump Organisation has not explained how or where the phone will be produced. On a podcast, Eric Trump said that eventually, all phones 'can be built in the United States', suggesting the first batch might not be entirely US-made.
The company also hasn't revealed which firm will operate the mobile service or whether it will use existing mobile networks, like Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile.
In its announcement, the Trump Organisation said, 'Hard-working Americans deserve a wireless service that's affordable, reflects their values, and delivers reliable quality they can count on.'