The Trump Family's Next Venture, a Mobile Phone Company
The Associated Press
Donald Trump Jr. participates in the announcement of Trump Mobile, in New York's Trump Tower, Monday, June 16, 2025.
NEW YORK (AP) — If Trump watches or sneakers or bibles aren't your thing, the family business just added another product to show your support for the U.S. president: mobile phones.
The Trump company announced Monday a new business, Trump Mobile, that will offer cell service in a licensing deal and sell gold phones by the summer. It's the latest in a string of new ventures struck despite mounting ethical concerns that the U.S. president is profiting off his position and could distort public policy for personal gain.
Eric Trump, the president's son running The Trump Organization in his absence, suggested the pitch is patriotism, emphasizing that the phones will be built in the U.S. and the phone service will maintain a call center in the country as well.
The announcement follows several real estate deals for towers and resorts in the Middle East, including a golf development in Qatar announced in April. A $1.5 billion partnership to build golf courses, hotels and real estate projects in Vietnam was approved last month, though the deal was in the works before Trump was elected.
Trump has already used the main regulatory agency that will oversee Trump Mobile in personal disputes.
The Federal Communications Commission has launched investigations of media outlets Trump dislikes and, in some cases, is personally suing. And the president himself last month criticized cell phone maker Apple, now a big business rival, because it planned to make most of its U.S. iPhones in India, threatening to slap a 25% tariff on the devices.
Eric Trump said that consumers deserve a phone that aligns with their values.
'Hard-working Americans deserve a wireless service that's affordable, reflects their values, and delivers reliable quality they can count on,' he said in a statement.
The Trump phone deal comes as a mandatory financial disclosure report just filed with the government shows the president has moved fast in the last year to profit off his celebrity, taking in $3 million in revenue from selling 'Save America' coffee table books, $2.8 million from Trump watches and $2.5 million from Trump branded sneakers and fragrances.
The Trump Organization on Monday said the new, gold-colored phone available for $499 in August, called the T1 Phone, won't be designed or made by Trump Mobile, but by another company.
The Trump Organization did not respond to repeated requests for more details on that and comment.
IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo said the monthly fee of just under $50 is pricey, the appeal beyond the most ardent MAGA loyalists doubtful and the business difficult given that cell phones break down.
'It's not like selling hats and t-shirts. I'm not sure they have that all sorted of,' said Jeronimo, adding 'I'm not sure they are bringing great value to the American people.'
Donald Trump ventured into the telecommunication industry once before, giving speeches and promoting a multi-level marketing company called ACN that was eventually sued for fraud and misleading customers.
In the first term, Trump was blasted by conservative and liberal government ethics experts alike for opening his Washington hotel to lobbyists and diplomats and violating his company's pledge to avoid even the appearance of a conflict between his private profit and the public interest.
The company is feeling more emboldened now in the second term.
The mobile service is partnering with existing cellular carriers with access to a 5G network, raising questions of how they will be treated by federal regulators now that they have partnered with his company. The Trump Organization said those companies are America's three biggest mobile network providers, an apparent reference to Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, the latter with a trademarked name that is very similar to Trump's T1 Mobile.
The name given to the monthly service offer, The 47 Plan, and the monthly $47.45 monthly fee make reference to Trump's two terms, the 45th and the 47th. The service will include unlimited calls, texts and data and free roadside assistance and telehealth services.
A mock-up of the planned phone on the company's website shows Trump's slogan 'Make America Great' on the front and an etched American flag on the back.
By sticking to licensing, the Trump family is limiting its risk. Still, the new service faces big challenges if it hopes to sell beyond the president's loyal MAGA fans.
The Trump company tried to tap into support among the middle class in the first term with two mid-priced hotel chains. Called American Idea and Scion, and unveiled like the phone service Monday under a giant U.S. flag in the Trump Tower atrium, they flopped.
Despite taking in millions of dollars each year in various licensing deals and a string of new ventures, the Trump brand has taken a series of hits to its brand over the years.
During his first term, the Trump name was stripped off residential buildings and hotels in Toronto, Panama and Manhattan.
The Trump International Hotel in Washington, since sold, lost money even though the family opened its doors to businesses and governments trying to shape U.S. policy.
The average condo in 11 Trump-branded residential towers around the country underperformed the broader market during and immediately after Trump's first term. More recently, the value of Trump condos in New York City fell in the past two years as similar properties rise in value, according to brokerage CityRealty.
The Trump Organization has had more success with some ventures launched in the first few months of his second term.
Trump Media & Technology Group, a Florida company that operates the Truth Social media platform, filed plans with security regulators Monday to launch an exchange-traded fund tied to the prices of two popular cryptocurrencies.
The ETF is part of the Trump family's rapidly growing crypto empire, which includes a new stablecoin and launching and promoting memecoins.
The president's most recent financial disclosure report reveals he made more than $57 million last year from World Liberty Financial, a crypto company he and his sons helped launch in September.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yomiuri Shimbun
22 minutes ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Military Parade in U.S. Capital: President's Appropriation of the Military is Unacceptable
Amid unceasing warfare in Ukraine and the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump held a military parade in the U.S. capital following the deployment of the military to deal with protests inside the country. One cannot help but sense danger in Trump's approach of demonstrating power to the people of his country. On June 14, the Trump administration held a military parade in Washington to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army. It was Trump's 79th birthday on the day. Vice President JD Vance congratulated the president on his birthday in a speech, and the crowd sang 'Happy Birthday.' At the very least, Trump should have avoided scheduling the event in a way that could be seen as mixing public and private matters. Authoritarian countries such as Russia, China and North Korea regularly hold military parades to demonstrate their military power and the unifying power of their political leaders. On the other hand, the United States has not held a large-scale military parade in its capital since 1991, following the end of the Gulf War. This is only because the U.S. military, as the military of a democratic country, is required to maintain a high level of political neutrality, which past administrations have also emphasized. In contrast, Trump expressed a desire to hold a military parade in his first administration, but he did not do so due to opposition from then Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other officials. His second administration is solidly composed of loyalists, with no senior military officials or experts to put the brakes on Trump's measures. The parade is estimated to have cost up to $45 million (about ¥6.5 billion). Is this not inconsistent with the administration's claim that it is optimizing administrative efficiency? By mobilizing the military and emphasizing that he will not hesitate to use force, Trump may be trying to project an image of a strong leader and solidify the Republican Party's base of support. When protests broke out in Los Angeles, Calif., following a roundup of illegal immigrants, Trump dispatched the National Guard without the approval of the local state governor. He also deployed U.S. Marines, who are prohibited in principle from enforcing the law in the country. If it were the case that Trump was attempting to mobilize the military at will in order to suppress opposing opinions within the country and oust his political opponents, including Democratic state governors, he would not be able to evade the accusation that he appropriated the military. On the day of the military parade, protests against Trump with the slogan 'No Kings' were held in about 2,000 locations across the country. Meanwhile, in the Midwestern state of Minnesota, two Democratic state legislators and others were shot, and the demonstrations were canceled. In the United States, social unrest and divisions are deepening, and violence is casting a dark shadow over the nation. Under such circumstances, the president must strictly refrain from using the military for political purposes. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 17, 2025)
The Mainichi
an hour ago
- The Mainichi
Israel orders 300,000 people in Tehran to evacuate while Trump issues ominous warning
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) -- Israel warned hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate the middle of Iran's capital as Israel's air campaign on Tehran appeared to broaden on the fourth day of an intensifying conflict. An Iranian television anchor fled her studio during a live broadcast as bombs fell on the headquarters of the country's state-run TV station. U.S. President Donald Trump posted an ominous message on his social media site later Monday calling for the immediate evacuation of Tehran. "IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON," Trump wrote, adding that "Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!" White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on social media shortly after Trump's post that he was returning from the G7 summit in Canada a day early due to the intensifying conflict between. Israel says strikes have set back nuclear program Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli strikes have set Iran's nuclear program back a "very, very long time," and told reporters he is in daily touch with Trump. "The regime is very weak," he added. Israel says its sweeping assault on Iran's top military leaders, uranium enrichment sites and nuclear scientists, is necessary to prevent its longtime adversary from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon. The strikes have killed at least 224 people since Friday. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful, and the U.S. and others have assessed that Tehran has not had an organized effort to pursue a nuclear weapon since 2003. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly warned that the country has enough enriched uranium to make several nuclear bombs should it choose to do so. Iran has retaliated by launching more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel and more than 500 injured. The back-and-forth has raised concerns about all-out war between the countries and propelled the region, already on edge, into even greater upheaval. Israel's military issues evacuation warning affecting up to 330,000 people Earlier Monday, Israel's military issued an evacuation warning to 330,000 people in a part of central Tehran that houses the country's state TV and police headquarters, as well as three large hospitals, including one owned by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The city, one of the region's largest, is home to around 9.5 million people. Israel's military has issued similar evacuation warnings for civilians in parts of Gaza and Lebanon ahead of strikes. State-run television abruptly stopped a live broadcast after the station was hit, according to Iran's state-run news agency. While on the air, an Iranian state television reporter said the studio was filling with dust after "the sound of aggression against the homeland." Suddenly, an explosion occurred, cutting the screen behind her as she hurried off camera. The broadcast quickly switched to prerecorded programs. The station later said its building was hit by four bombs. An anchor said on air that a few colleagues had been hurt, but their families should not be worried. The network said its live programs were transferred to another studio. Israel claims 'full aerial superiority' over Tehran Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Monday that his country's forces had "achieved full aerial superiority over Tehran's skies." The military said it destroyed more than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers in central Iran, a third of Iran's total, as well as two F-14 planes that Iran used to target Israeli aircraft and multiple launchers just before they launched ballistic missiles towards Israel. Israeli military officials also said fighter jets had struck 10 command centers in Tehran belonging to Iran's Quds Force, an elite arm of its Revolutionary Guard that conducts military and intelligence operations outside Iran. The Israeli strikes "amount to a deep and comprehensive blow to the Iranian threat," Defrin said. One missile fell near the American consulate in Tel Aviv, with its blast waves causing minor damage, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee said on X. He added that no American personnel were injured. Explosions rock Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva and Haifa oil refinery Powerful explosions rocked Tel Aviv shortly before dawn Monday, sending plumes of black smoke into the sky over the coastal city. Authorities in the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva said Iranian missiles hit a residential building there, charring concrete walls, shattering windows and ripping the walls off multiple apartments. Iranian missiles also hit an oil refinery in the northern city of Haifa for the second night in a row. The early morning strike killed three workers, ignited a significant fire and damaged a building, Israel's fire and rescue services said. The workers were sheltering in the building's safe room when the impact caused a stairwell to collapse, trapping them inside. Firefighters rushed to extinguish the fire and rescue them, but the three died before rescuers could reach them. No sign of conflict letting up Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, appeared to make a veiled outreach Monday for the U.S. to step in and negotiate an end to hostilities between Israel and Iran. In a post on X, Araghchi wrote that if Trump is "genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential." "It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu," Iran's top diplomat wrote. "That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy." The message to Washington was sent as the latest talks between the U.S. and Iran were canceled over the weekend after Israel targeted key military and political officials in Tehran. On Sunday, Araghchi said that Iran will stop its strikes if Israel does the same. The conflict has also forced most countries in the Middle East to close their airspace. Dozens of airports have stopped all flights or severely reduced operations, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded and others unable to flee the conflict or travel home. Health authorities reported that 1,277 people were wounded in Iran. Iranians also reported fuel rationing. Rights groups such as the Washington-based Iranian advocacy group Human Rights Activists have suggested that the Iranian government's death toll is a significant undercount. The group says it has documented more than 400 people killed, among them 197 civilians. Ahead of Israel's initial attack, its Mossad spy agency positioned explosive drones and precision weapons inside Iran. Since then, Iran has reportedly detained several people and hanged one on suspicion of espionage.
an hour ago
U.S. Urged to Withdraw High Tariff Measures at G-7 Summit
Kananaskis, Canada, June 16 (Jiji Press)--The United States on Monday faced calls for withdrawing at an early date the high tariff policy introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump, at a two-day Group of Seven summit that started the same day in Kananaskis, western Canada. Trump is poised to return home later in the day, without attending the second-day session of the summit among the seven major countries, citing a need to deal with escalating tensions in the Middle East. On the first day, participants, apparently with the high U.S. tariffs in mind, exchanged opinions on maintaining and boosting the multilateral free trade system as part of their discussions on the global economy, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. The G-7 leaders shared the view that they, through candid discussions, need to spearhead the world's efforts to tackle a host of challenges. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stressed that the G-7 countries--Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States--should unite and lead the international community to build a rules-based free and fair economic order. Over the Middle East, the leaders discussed measures to prevent a full-scale military clash between Israel and Iran and adopted a joint statement, which said, "We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza." [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
