Trump Mobile T1, a smartphone made in USA that is not real

The Trump Organization launched Trump Mobile for $499, marking its entry into the telecommunications market with a service aimed at conservative consumers. This is also one of the steps to realize the policy pursued by the current US President, localizing production.

In addition to the T1 phone model, the Trump Organization, the business group of the US President's family, will also launch a mobile service branded Trump Mobile. The announcement was made on June 16 at Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York.

Trump Mobile is pitched as an alternative to major US carriers, targeting conservative consumers. The devices and services will reportedly feature “all-American” features, such as domestically manufactured phones and US-based customer service.

"This sleek, gold-colored phone is built with powerful performance, proudly designed and built in the USA for customers who expect the best from their carriers," the Trump Organization's website introduces the T1.

Speaking at the launch, Donald Trump Jr., Mr. Trump’s eldest son, said the service will come with features such as telemedicine support, car rescue and unlimited texting to 100 countries, all included in a fixed monthly fee.

Although known for its real estate, hotels and golf courses, the Trump family has expanded into new areas in recent years, including digital media, cryptocurrencies and most recently telecommunications. This move is also in line with the trend of expanding the business ecosystem dedicated to the US customer group.

Despite the Trump brand, the phones and mobile services are not actually manufactured or operated by the Trump Organization. The “Trump” brand is licensed to a third party, as are many of the company’s other franchises.

The official Trump Mobile website says the phone will be available in September, while the mobile service will cost $47.45 a month. However, analysts have questioned the actual operating structure behind the service. The subscription price is a reference to Trump’s position as the 45th president of the United States, and currently the 47th president according to his campaign.

“I still have a lot of questions about the commercial relationship between Trump Mobile and existing telecom operators,” said Paolo Pescatore, an expert at PP Foresight.

The US mobile market is currently dominated by three giants: Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, which control more than 95% of the market share. Meanwhile, the US smartphone manufacturing industry faces many challenges due to high costs and dependence on global supply chains.

Few details have been shared about the $499 smartphone and 'Trump Mobile' service, but the company's own website states that the project is "not designed, developed, manufactured, distributed or sold by The Trump Organization or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries," suggesting this is a simple licensing deal.