Where’s the Trump phone? We’re going to keep talking about it every week. We’ve reached out, as typical, to ask concerning the Trump cellphone’s whereabouts. This time, surprisingly, we acquired a response — and an interview.
The Trump cellphone is actual — perhaps, type of, quickly? — and I’ve seen it. Not within the flesh, however throughout an hourlong video name with two Trump Cellular executives who confirmed me a cellphone, and instructed me extra about why it was delayed, when it would truly attain patrons, and why its spec sheet has modified many times.
I spoke to Don Hendrickson — sure, the one who had seemingly ghosted me final time — and Eric Thomas, two of the three executives that run Trump Cellular. The T1 Cellphone that Thomas exhibits me over Google Meet isn’t a last manufacturing mannequin, however apparently it’s shut. The T1 emblem — seen because the first renders of the cellphone — will apparently be dropped earlier than launch, although the American flag on the backside will stay, as will the signature gold end.
It’s clear from a look that this isn’t the identical cellphone the corporate teased eight months ago. The iPhone-esque digicam triangle has been changed by three lenses laid out vertically in a black, oval island with “Trump Cellular” written alongside. Look nearer and also you’ll see these lenses are inconsistently spaced.
The cellphone is totally different in a couple of different methods from each the model that was introduced in June 2025 and the altered spec sheet that appeared on the Trump Cellular web site a few weeks later. It seems bigger, with the “waterfall” show (curved screens are again, child) showing nearer to the 6.78-inch display initially promised than the 6.25-inch mannequin that appeared just a little later.
Will probably be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 sequence chipset, often utilized in upper-midrange units, and embody a 5,000mAh battery, 512GB of storage, and help for as much as 1TB microSD playing cards. I don’t know the total digicam spec simply but, however I used to be instructed that each the selfie digicam and the primary rear digicam are utilizing 50-megapixel sensors, and a glimpse of the digicam UI suggests the inclusion of an ultrawide lens and maybe a telephoto, neither of which had been listed earlier than.
“This particular cellphone does spec with the top-of-the-line telephones out there this 12 months,” Thomas says, later claiming it is going to be similar to “any cellphone that’s over $1,000.” I’m not solely positive that’s true, given you will discover comparable specs, even the 50-megapixel selfie digicam, within the OnePlus Nord 5, which ships with 512GB storage within the UK for £499 — round $679. A lot will rely on digicam efficiency and whether or not it contains flagship touches like waterproofing or wi-fi charging, which I don’t but know. However it’s true that some specs — the selfie digicam decision, the storage capability, the ultrawide lens — are improved from the T1 Cellphone we noticed (or didn’t) at launch.
To replicate that alleged enchancment in high quality, a value hike is coming. Hendrickson is fast to emphasise that everybody who positioned a $100 deposit already (he wouldn’t inform me how many had carried out so) will nonetheless pay $499 whole, however they’re now calling that an “introductory value.” Later patrons pays extra, although “lower than $1,000” is all of the pair would verify, with the ultimate value apparently nonetheless to be determined.
So why all of the modifications? To listen to Thomas and Hendrickson put it, there was a lot curiosity within the T1 Cellphone that it solely felt proper to make the cellphone higher by leaping ahead just a little of their long-term plans. “Let’s skip our first preliminary entry-level cellphone that we had been going to form of introduce and be fast to the market,” Thomas says of the corporate’s considering following the early media consideration. “Let’s take our time and do what we had been planning to be the following step.”
The pair recommend the choice to re-spec the cellphone is behind some, although not all, of its delays — the T1 Cellphone is now six months late to launch. Nonetheless, they are saying it’s coming quickly. The cellphone has apparently cleared FCC certification (itself supposedly slowed by the government shutdown) and is now awaiting certification with T-Cellular, anticipated to finish someday in mid-March. After that, Thomas says the corporate will likely be able to ship telephones to early patrons, although he’s hesitant to decide to an actual date. For a cellphone that was first promised for August or September, then by the end of 2025, and nonetheless solely says “later this 12 months” on the official website, I might take any launch timeline with a fistful of salt.
Nonetheless, it feels like we’ll see extra quickly regardless. The 2 executives promise {that a} Trump Cellular “relaunch” is coming, and that inside “the following couple of weeks” the web site will likely be up to date with photos of the ultimate cellphone, together with its spec sheet. Our lengthy wait is almost over.
In fact, there’s one factor the T1 Cellphone received’t be: made within the USA. As an alternative, the handsets undergo “last meeting” in Miami, although Thomas is cautious to not say an excessive amount of about what which means. It’s greater than “slapping a canopy on the cellphone,” and apparently includes placing collectively the ultimate 10 or so items. The pair received’t say the place the majority of the cellphone is assembled previous to that, solely that it’s carried out in a “favored nation,” which primarily appears to be a means of claiming “not China.”
To name a product “made within the USA” you need to meet sure requirements, laid down and enforced by the FTC. The Trump Cellular website as an alternative at the moment guarantees that there are “American palms behind each system,” and Thomas says that the wording was chosen as a result of they “need to be upfront and never deceptive in any respect to individuals.” He admits that there “might need been one thing placed on the web site” in error at launch (on this case, an enormous homepage banner that stated the T1 is “MADE IN THE USA” and a press release that stated it’s “proudly designed and in-built the USA”), however that since then “we’ve form of stayed away from that.”
Full meeting within the US continues to be what the pair name a “purpose,” although, one they’re apparently engaged on for future telephones just like the T1 Ultra — sure, that’s apparently actual too, although they wouldn’t inform me rather more about it.
I suppose we’ll must hold ready, however till then: The Trump cellphone is actual (ish), I’ve seen it (type of), and it’s lastly going to launch subsequent month (perhaps).
Bought inside info on Trump Cellular or the Trump cellphone? Attain out securely from a private system to tips@theverge.com, or see our How to Tip Us web page.
