Report highlights uncomfortable truths about Tump Mobile and its T1 Phone

Trump Mobile came out of left field with a mobile network that promises telehealth and roadside perks and a “Proudly Made in America” smartphone. With bold claims of an Android device made entirely in the US and no clarity on who is really behind the venture, Trump Mobile raised eyebrows at launch, leading to more questions than answers. Now, a report from The Financial Times has attempted to answer some of those questions, adding more skepticism to the story, not just over whether Trump Mobile can deliver an American-made device, but over the credibility of the partner it has chosen to help do it.

Trump Mobile, led by the US President’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, has hitched its wagon to Liberty Mobile Wireless, a tiny, little-known network operator registered to a luxury apartment in Trump Tower Miami. The company was founded in 2018 and lists fewer than 50 employees. As The Financial Times points out, its FAQ page is filled with placeholder text (“What is Lorem Ipsum?”). Public records link the founder of Liberty Mobile Wireless, Matt Lopatin, to multiple other dissolved ventures. Financial Times’ attempts to reach the company for comment went unanswered.

Although Liberty is only seven years old and not very well-established, it forms the backbone of Trump Mobile’s phone plans. The Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) essentially buys network access from major networks like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. While celebrity-backed MVNOs, like Ryan Reynolds’ Mint Mobile (now sold to T-Mobile), have seen some success, Liberty’s shaky public presence raises questions about its ability to shoulder another mobile network.

Meanwhile, if Trump Mobile employees are to be believed, the launch of the T1 Phone has been quite successful. The report notes that the phone’s online order form crashed shortly after going live on Monday, and a company employee attributed the crash to overwhelming demand for the device. We checked and the order form for the T1 Phone is now back online, allowing customers to pre-order the handset by authorizing a $100 payment up front and pre-authorizing a payment of $399 plus taxes when the device is shipped.

A Trump Mobile spokesperson told The Financial Times that the T1 Phone is being manufactured in “Alabama, California, and Florida.” However, they didn’t offer any specifics on production partners, components sourced from the US, or the exact location of the manufacturing facilities. The lack of transparency and conflicting statements are concerning. Eric Trump previously admitted the phones would be made in the US only “eventually.”

Todd Weaver, CEO of US electronics company Purism, said he doesn’t think devices with the specs that the T1 Phone promises can be made in America.

Purism makes privacy-focused phones in the US. Its Librem 5 is touted to be the only phone truly made in America, with all electronics produced in the United States. Of course, with its focus on US manufacturing, Purism can’t compete with big industry players when it comes to specs or software.

Moreover, to carry a “Made in the USA” label under Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines, Trump Mobile’s T1 will have to have “all or virtually all” components made domestically. That means the phone’s foreign content should be negligible.

Counterpoint Research’s Director of Research, Jeff Fieldhack, believes it’s a “tall order” and that he’s yet to see anything come close.