Inaugurated in June 2025, the “Trump T1” smartphone has still not been delivered to its 600,000 buyers. Despite raising nearly 60 million dollars in deposits, the company is facing multiple delays and now refuses to guarantee any refunds.
The patriotic alternative to Apple is turning into a financial disaster. Originally announced by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump in June 2025, the Trump Mobile T1 project was supposed to provide a “Made in the USA” phone for $499 (approximately 462 euros). Over a year later, the 590,000 buyers who paid a $100 deposit have received nothing, as reported by the International Business Times.
A cascade of delays surrounded the T1 launch, initially scheduled for the end of summer 2025 to commemorate the 2016 campaign anniversary. The release date has been postponed four times before disappearing entirely from the website in April 2026. Customers have been given various fanciful reasons for the delays, including T-Mobile certification issues and a 43-day federal government shutdown.
Journalist Joseph Cox described his pre-order test as the “worst consumer electronics purchasing experience” he has ever had, noting unauthorized account charges.
On April 6, 2026, a legal turning point shattered the last hopes. The new terms and conditions state that the deposit “does not constitute a final purchase and does not create a binding legal contract.”
The main selling point of being “Made in the USA” has also suffered a serious setback. The claim has been discreetly replaced with vague statements before the management admitted that mass production would take place overseas.
Faced with what seems like a dead end, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and several officials have taken their concerns to the FTC to denounce deceptive practices. While the Governor of California openly labels the project a “fraud,” buyers fear they may never see their $100 again.
