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Trump Mobile, the wireless company backed by the Trump Organization, has delayed delivery of its long-promised golden T1 smartphone beyond the end of the year, blaming the delay on the latest U.S. government shutdown. The move extends a month-long slip in its launch timeline and underscores the operational challenges of transforming a political brand into a consumer hardware company.
Trump Mobile customer service representatives said Fortune the shutdown disrupted shipments of the $499 device, and said that while the device would not ship this month, “we were told mid to late January.” The company has not publicly provided a revised delivery date.
“The T1 was delayed due to the government shutdown. They had to suspend everything on the FCC side,” the customer service representative said, adding that the $499 price hasn’t changed.
Trump Mobile was unveiled in June as a licensing business using the Trump name to sell a mobile service and a branded Android handset, the T1 Phone. The device is marketed as a golden smartphone priced at $499available for pre-order with a $100 deposit. It’s designed to work on “The 47 Plan,” a $47.45-per-month offering that bundles 5G service with unlimited talk, text and data, with the price referring to Donald Trump’s status as the 45th and 47th president of the United States.
Trump Mobile
At launch, the Trump Organization and Trump Mobile supervised the project both as a business opportunity and a statement about domestic manufacturing. Early marketing materials promised a device “built in the USA,” which aligned with Trump’s public criticism of the device. Apple and his threats of 25% customs duties on Apple and Samsung devices made in China. Supply chain experts quickly interviewed if it’s a smartphone made entirely in the USA at this price was realisticnoting that less than 5% of an iPhone’s components are currently made in the United States, according to IDC estimates.
The shipping schedule has slipped several times. Initial documents indicated that the T1 phone would be available in August, before the date is pushed back to October then to a vague commitment to deliver units by the end of the year. In recent weeks, the Trump Mobile website has removed specific release dates and the “Made in USA” label, according to NBC News And Peoplewhich followed the changes made to the website. With the flagship device remaining unavailable, the company has started selling refurbished phones like Apple’s iPhone 15 and Samsung’s Galaxy S24, positioning them as cheaper alternatives to buying direct from manufacturers.
The company itself operates as a virtual mobile network rather than building its own infrastructure. Trump Mobile’s plan is offered through existing US carriers via Wireless Mobile Freedoma virtual mobile network operator based in Florida, while customer service is handled by Warranty Companiesa Missouri insurance company. The Trump-branded service is run out of Trump Tower in Miami, and the top executives featured at the launch came from real estate, insurance and pager companies rather than major smartphone makers.
Trump Mobile hasn’t explained exactly how the federal shutdown is affecting its production or logistics, only citing it as the reason for the latest slip-up. Industry groups have already noted shutdowns can slow regulatory approvals and customs processing of electronic products, adding friction to certification and import deadlines. Analysts also point out that most shutdowns leave private sector manufacturing and many essential supply chains operating, which can limit the disruption they cause to commercial product launches.
As for customers who have already shelled out $100 to reserve the gold T1 phone, some pre-order buyers said they only received receipts and generic insurancewithout a firm ship date and difficulty obtaining detailed updates from support channels.
