Nearly a year after President Donald Trump's sons unveiled a gold-colored smartphone bearing his name, the device remains vaporware—and the fine print on the Trump Mobile website now explicitly warns customers it may never ship at all.
Announced in June 2025 by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, the so-called T1 Phone was pitched as a flagship device for the Trump Mobile wireless plan. The company began collecting $100 deposits toward a $499 promotional price that same month, promising delivery by August 2025. That deadline came and went, followed by multiple delays. As of May 2026, no firm release date has been set.
‘No Guarantee of Release’
The Trump Mobile terms and conditions include a section bluntly headlined “No Guarantee of Release, Delivery or Timing.” It states: “Trump Mobile does not guarantee that: the Device will be commercially released; regulatory approvals (including FCC authorization) will be obtained; carrier certification will be secured; production will commence or continue; or delivery will occur within any specific timeframe.”
The same section adds that “estimated ship dates, launch timelines, or anticipated production schedule are non-binding estimates only.” That language, buried in the site's legal text, effectively gives the company an escape hatch if the phone never materializes.
As of Monday, the Trump Mobile site still directs customers to a waitlist for a device that now looks different from the one originally shown. The current product illustration—subject to change, per the site—depicts a gold phone with an American flag on the back and the words “Trump Mobile.” The earlier version lacked that flag motif.
Deposits Refundable—But Price Not Locked
Customers who have placed $100 deposits—a recent International Business Times report put the number at around 600,000—can request a full refund by contacting Trump Mobile customer support. Refunds will also be issued if the company cancels the offering entirely. But those who hang on hoping for a bargain may be disappointed: the deposit does not lock in the $499 promotional price. The terms state that final pricing will be disclosed at purchase, and buyers can accept or reject those terms before completing the transaction.
The phone itself, as described on the site, would feature a 6.78-inch touchscreen, a 50-megapixel main camera, a quick-charge battery, and a fingerprint sensor, running on Android. Notably, initial promotional language claiming the phone would be “proudly designed and built in the United States” was quietly dropped shortly after the announcement. The current site says only that it was “designed with American values in mind” and “shaped by American innovation.”
Despite the delays, there is one sign of life: USA Today reported Monday that the T1 phone received PTCRB certification in March, confirming it meets North American network compatibility standards. That step suggests some engineering work is proceeding, though it is far from a guarantee of production.
The Trump Mobile wireless plan itself remains operational, accepting customers who bring their own devices or purchase refurbished Apple or Samsung phones through the site. A company representative said Monday that prospective subscribers can check device compatibility by contacting customer service.
The venture is the latest in a string of Trump-branded business efforts that have faced scrutiny. Meanwhile, the former president is grappling with other controversies, including a legal challenge over the National Mall reflecting pool's blue paint and mounting GOP midterm anxiety over his Iran policy.
A representative for Trump Mobile did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.
