Trump Mobile has repeatedly let down over half a million people waiting for its T1 smartphone, with the fabled device still not going on sale almost a year after its launch. It may never do so.
Launched back in June 2025, the Trump Organization’s Trump Mobile said it would release the T1 smartphone as a “made-in-USA” device. It was a popular device for supporters of President Trump, but no-one’s managed to actually get their hands on it.
Approximately 590,000 people put a deposit of $100 down for the smartphone, which would ultimately sell at $499, reports IBTimes. Despite receiving an advance in the region of $59 million, Trump Mobile has yet to ship a single unit to consumers.
There doesn’t seem to be any sign of it arriving by the quickly approaching one-year mark, either.
A stretching timeline
The T1 was pitched as a “Made in USA” smartphone, almost in response to Apple and others constructing the iPhone and other smartphones in other countries. Shortly after its introduction and after many assurances of its USA-centric nature, the Internet quickly determined that it was probably a rebadged budget Android device made in China.
The research didn’t stop the surge of preorders for the device, even when Trump Mobile silently dropped the “Made in America” claim.
After failing to ship in the late summer of 2025, the release date kept being moved back to later in the year, then into early 2026. A redesign of the Trump Mobile website in April 2026 removed the release date entirely, instead showing a link to “join the waitlist.”
Previous images of the fabled Trump Mobile T1
Reports into the delay involved one call center representative telling journalists that the T1 was in the “final stages of certification and field testing” in January 2026. There was apparently a ship date of Q1 2026, but that has passed.
At one point, a representative blamed a 43-day federal government shutdown, though critics pointed out that such a claim didn’t really impact a privately held hardware producer.
Considerable doubt
While those who have put down a deposit for the T1 are patiently waiting, there is a possibility that they may not ever get the smartphone at all.
The April website update also included a revised terms of service, which discussed the deposit scheme. The document states that the deposit is not a guarantee that they will receive a working device.
Instead, it explains that the deposit provides “only a conditional opportunity” if Trump Mobile actually puts the T1 on sale. The deposit isn’t a biding sales contract, doesn’t lock the price, can change specifications before release, and isn’t even guaranteed to function on a phone network.
At best, depositors have paid $100 that could turn into a $100 credit towards the T1. That is, if it goes on sale.
If Trump Mobile decides to cancel the T1 entirely, it will issue refunds of the original deposit amount. However, it won’t be liable for any delays caused for issues such as “parts shortages or hold-ups with regulators.
Consumers can also submit a request for a cancellation before a sale is completed.
FTC radio silence
The severe lack of progress has led to some lawmaker complaints about the ordeal. This includes a request from Senator Elizabeth Warren and other Democratic lawmakers to the Federal Trade Commission in January, over the use of alleged “bait-and-switch tactics” and false advertising over the “Made in the USA” claim.
However, as of May 2026, the FTC has not confirmed the existence of such an investigation, nor if one will ever be opened.
As it stands, 590,000 consumers have handed over their money for a smartphone that isn’t “Made in the USA” and may not even get made at all.
At best, they’ll get a smartphone with underwhelming specifications that is bolstered by branding. At worst, the deposits are gone, and all the consumers get is an expensive lesson.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
