The golden Trump phone is finally shipping this week to people who preordered it, according to an emailed statement from Trump Mobile CEO Pat O’Brien, as reported earlier by USA Today.
Trump Mobile expects phones to be delivered within the next few weeks after months-long production delays.
“The technology business is more difficult than some may realize, as parts must be tested for quality assurances,” O’Brien said in a statement emailed to CNET. “We have experienced delays during a variety of steps in getting the T1 to completion, but those delays were worth it in our minds as we are delivering an amazing product.”
CNET Director of Content Patrick Holland had put down a $100 deposit to preorder the T1 phone in June 2025 so CNET could review it, but he has yet to hear from the company about a shipping date. However, on Wednesday morning, when he logged in to his Trump Mobile account, he was notified that his payment method was outdated and needed to be updated.
Holland says his preorder was “confirmed but not processed,” and he sees a red bubble that reads, “Awaiting Sim Assignment.”
Trump Mobile launched in June 2025 with a $47.45-a-month mobile phone plan, and announced that a Trump phone would be made in the US and launch in August 2025. But when it became obvious that domestic large-scale smartphone manufacturing would not be possible, Trump Mobile dropped the “made in the US” claim.
Now, the site simply says it is “designed with American values in mind,” an “American-proud design” and “shaped by American innovation.”
Last month, a redesigned Trump Mobile website finally showcased a new-look T1 phone, its third redesign. It followed Trump Mobile executives showing off a handset they said was a near-production version of the T1 phone to The Verge in early February.
The website claims it will have a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen; a 50-megapixel, front-facing camera; a camera bump featuring a 50-megapixel main lens, an 8-megapixel wide lens and a 50-megapixel (2X Tele) lens; a 5,000-mAh battery; a fingerprint sensor and AI face unlock; a Snapdragon mobile platform; and an Android operating system.
The site is still accepting $100 deposits on the Trump phone, which it continues to advertise as having a promotional price of $499. Trump Mobile also sells refurbished Apple and Samsung phones, ranging from $369 to $629.
While Trump Mobile has not said where the T1 phone is manufactured, executives told The Verge that it’s being made in a “favored nation” with “final assembly” in Florida. It’s unclear what qualifies another nation as “favored” to handle most of the assembly of the T1 phone. Meanwhile, President Trump has just arrived in China for a two-day summit with President Xi Jinping to discuss a potential trade deal.
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