I'll believe it when I see it: Trump Phone to start shipping this week

The Trump Mobile T1 Phone has been one of the strangest sagas in the smartphone space in quite some time. Between constant delays, renders that were clearly copies of other phones, and concerning changes to terms and conditions, I wouldn’t blame you if you thought this was vaporware.

However, Trump Mobile has now told USA Today that it’s shipping the T1 Phone to pre-order customers this week. CEO Pat O’Brien told the outlet that the company experienced various production-related delays.

“But those delays were worth it in our minds as we are delivering an amazing product,” O’Brien was quoted as saying, adding that he expected all pre-ordered Trump phones to be delivered within the next few weeks. The phone is currently listed at a promotional price of $499.

A laundry list of scandals and questionable claims

The Trump phone has been subject to plenty of delays and controversies since its announcement. For one, the company used renders of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra in an attempt to pass it off as a Trump Phone. It was also originally touted as an American-made phone, before Trump Mobile later branded it as an “American-proud design.”

O’Brien told USA Today that the first T1 Phones are assembled in the US, and that models will eventually use components “primarily” made in the US. I’m skeptical of this claim as parts like displays, processors, and camera sensors are largely produced in Asia. However, silicon companies like TSMC and Samsung have opened advanced manufacturing plants in the US, suggesting that processors could indeed be made in the country. Nevertheless, the vast majority of parts used in modern phones are made outside North America.

Then there were the recently uncovered changes to the pre-order terms and conditions. The updated language notes that a pre-order deposit “provides only a conditional opportunity if Trump Mobile later elects, in its sole discretion, to offer the Device for sale.” In other words, the change suggested that these users might not get their phones in the first place.

Needless to say, we’ll wait and see if these phones are actually delivered to customers. But we’re also curious to see whether this phone is an original product or simply a white-label design from a Chinese brand.

The T1 Phone has a 6.78-inch 120Hz OLED screen, a 5,000mAh battery with 30W wired charging, and an unnamed Snapdragon chipset. The phone also packs a 50MP main camera, a 50MP 2x tele shooter, an 8MP ultrawide camera, and a 50MP selfie shooter.

Nevertheless, I’d recommend buying the identically priced Nothing Phone 4a Pro if you want a capable mid-range phone. Aside from the fact that Nothing is an established brand with a track record of delivering real phones, the Phone 4a Pro also has plenty of other strengths. This includes some impressive cameras, a standout design, great battery life, and an actual update policy.