Trump Mobile’s T1 smartphone has been delayed multiple times, and many customers who preordered the $499 phone for a $100 deposit still had not received it as of reports published on May 12. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The company says the phone is assembled in the United States, but its marketing has changed over time. Public wording shifted from “Made in America” to language saying it is “designed with American values in mind” and reflects “American participation in design.” [1, 2, 5, 3, 4]
Democratic lawmakers have asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the phone for possible deceptive marketing and false advertising. Reports also said Trump Mobile revised its service terms in April to state that a deposit does not create a binding purchase contract and that delivery dates are not guaranteed. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Some reports said Trump Mobile blamed the delays on a U.S. government shutdown. One customer quoted in a report said, “So I now pay a $100 deposit just to get the chance to maybe pay you more money later? And this product may not even be made?” [1, 2, 3, 4]
One report said Trump Mobile began shipping T1 phones to customers on Wednesday, while another said the company planned to start shipping preordered units this week. Other reports said there was still no shipment record and that the phones had not reached many buyers. [6, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4]
Trump Mobile first drew notice in 2025, with one report saying the T1 was publicly launched on June 16. An early August shipping target was later reported, then pushed to November 2025 before the schedule slipped again. [4, 6, 5]
The company’s next concrete step remains shipment of preordered phones, but the timing is disputed across reports. [6, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4]
