- Gavin Newsom scorns Trump Mobile delay news.
- Trump Mobile delays gold cell phone shipments.
- Delay extended by another full month.
In June of last year, the Trump Organization made the initial announcement of the T1 Mobile smartphone and cellular service, promising to provide
"top-tier connectivity, unbeatable value, and all-American service for our nation's hardest-working people."
However, a customer care agent informed CBS that the phones, which were supposed to be released in August, will now not be delivered until late January. They attributed this to the government shutdown that broke records last autumn.
According to reports, the T1 device itself costs $499, and mobile service is available for $47.45 per month, a nod to Trump's roles as the 47th and 45th presidents.
Unlimited talk, text, and data, device protection, round-the-clock roadside assistance, telemedicine services, and free international calling to more than 100 countries are all provided to subscribers without the need for a contract.
Shortly after the phone's first announcement, the phrase "Made in the USA" was taken down from its official website and replaced with the ambiguous assertion that the devices are "brought to life" in the US.
A company representative told CNBC that
"T1 phones are proudly being made in America"
in response to issues raised by the revised language regarding whether the phones would actually be produced in the United States in line with the president's economic desires. Contrarian speculation is just false.
However, Francisco Jeronimo, Vice President of International Data Corp., told the same network that he thought they were more likely to be designed and constructed to specification in China.
“There is no way the phone was designed from scratch and there is no way it is going to be assembled in the U.S. or completely manufactured in the U.S.,”
he said.
“That is completely impossible.”
Trump Mobile now claims that the T1's screen is 6.25 inches instead of the 6.78 inches it originally said. Additionally, it claimed that the phone had 12GB of RAM, although that claim has already vanished.
Trump Mobile has started selling reconditioned Samsung S23s, S24s, and Apple iPhone 15s and 16s on their website while customers wait for the T1. These devices seem to lack any Trump branding and are significantly more expensive than they may be elsewhere.
At a time when both Samsung and Apple are dealing with problems brought on by the president's high import tariffs, it is evident that the Trump smartphone is ultimately intended to be a direct rival to both businesses and their goods.
In addition to selling the president's own merchandise lines of steaks, sneakers, bibles, guitars, and wristwatches, the Trump family, which is well-known for its real estate empire, opulent hotels, and golf resorts, has recently expanded into newer industries like NFTs, digital media, and cryptocurrency.
Prior to his inauguration in January of last year, the Trump Organization, which serves as the primary holding company for the majority of Trump's numerous commercial endeavors, announced that ownership will once more be returned to his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, mirroring the arrangement from his first administration.
“No one who has been paying attention could miss that President Trump considers the presidency a vehicle to grow his family’s wealth,” Lawrence Lessig, a law professor at Harvard University, said when Trump Mobile was first announced last summer.
Maybe this example will help more come to see this undeniable truth.”
How have Trump allies responded to Newsom criticism?
No specific responses from Trump abettors to Newsom's Trump Mobile mockery have been detailed in available reports on the phone detention. The review appears to have flown under the radar compared to their ongoing clashes over immigration and California policy.
Newsom's poke at the" fake gold" phone drew laughs from some Egalitarians but no high- profile clapbacks from Trump Jr., Eric, or White House spokespeople as of January 2, 2026.
The $499 Android device, blazoned in June 2025 as" Made in USA," has faced repeated detainments originally August, also October, December, nowmid-to-late January 2026 criticized on the fall's 43- day government arrestment halting FCC blessings and shipments.