Trump Mobile says its phone will ship this week, almost a year after announcing the device
Trump Mobile said it is beginning to ship its gold-toned mobile phone, almost a year after the company first unveiled plans for the device.
"The T1 Phone has arrived!! Those who pre-ordered the T1 Phone will be receiving an update email. Phones start shipping this week!!!," the company said in a social media post on Wednesday.
The announcement comes amid delays in the $499 phone's rollout, which the company said last year had been pushed back because of the U.S. government shutdown. Consumers have also raised concerns after Trump Mobile updated its preorder terms in April to say that making a $100 deposit "does not guarantee that a device will be produced or made available for purchase."
Trump Mobile didn't respond to a request for comment.
Trump Mobile CEO Pat O'Brien told USA Today that the phones will be delivered over the next few weeks. He added that the first T1 phones are assembled in the U.S. and that models will use components manufactured domestically.
When Trump Mobile announced the phone in June 2025, it said the device would be built in the U.S. The company's website now says the device is "shaped by American innovation" and relies on "American teams helping guide design and quality."
Experts have questions
The updated Trump Mobile preorder terms raised questions among consumer law experts, who noted that consumers who put down a deposit for a phone weren't guaranteed a device.
"A preorder deposit provides only a conditional opportunity if Trump Mobile later elects, in its sole discretion, to offer the device for sale," the preorder terms stated. "A deposit is not a purchase, does not constitute acceptance of an order, does not create a contract for sale, does not transfer ownership or title interest, does not allocate or reserve specific inventory, and does not guarantee that a device will be produced or made available for purchase."
Such language signals the company is providing a "conditional opportunity to buy a phone," said Eric Chaffee, a business law professor at Case Western Reserve University.
"Their phrase really is intentionally done to make almost crystal clear that no sort of contractual obligation is being formed," he said. "First off, the fact that what it means is that individuals who have preordered, what they've done is given this company a no-interest loan of $100 each."
The preorder terms favor the company over the consumer, said Danny Karon, a lawyer specializing in consumer fraud issues. He also noted that the terms don't guarantee the phone will work in all geographic locations or with all mobile phone networks.
"Anyone is free to make a deposit if they'd like," Karon said. "But as far as the terms and conditions are concerned, they're weighted too heavily in favor of the company for my liking."
