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As reported by Bloomberg, the launch was announced by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower in New York on Monday, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of Donald Trump’s 2015 presidential campaign announcement.
“We’ve partnered with some of the greatest people in the industry to make sure that real Americans get true value from their mobile carriers,” Trump Jr. said. He and Eric Trump are executive vice presidents at the Trump Organization, according to the report.
According to an official statement, Trump Mobile will operate using the network infrastructure of all three major U.S. carriers — T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. Alongside the service, the Trump family is launching a branded smartphone called the T1, described as a “sleek gold” model, manufactured in the U.S. and priced at $499.
This move is part of a broader trend of businesses aligning with Donald Trump’s conservative base. A notable example is Truth Social, the social media platform Trump launched in 2022 as an alternative to Twitter, which now claims millions of active users.
A mobile company in particular would run headlong into Trump’s trade agenda. Just last month, he threatened Apple Inc. with tariffs of at least 25% if it doesn’t make its iPhones in the US and signalled that he’d go after other device makers, including Samsung Electronics Co. It’s unclear where Trump will source a significant volume of hardware fully made in the US for a new device. Few — if any — of the world’s major phone manufacturers assemble their devices at scale entirely within the country.
The president also appoints the head of the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates wireless providers. Trump appointed Brendan Carr to lead the agency, and has recently encouraged the chairman to resolve a dispute with EchoStar Corp., over the buildout of its 5G network and the utilization of its wireless and satellite spectrum rights. EchoStar also owns the Boost Mobile network, Bloomberg reported.
The flagship Trump Mobile offering, dubbed the 47 Plan, will offer unlimited talk and text with 20GB of high-speed internet for $47.45 a month. Subscribers will also receive benefits such as telemedicine access, roadside assistance through Drive America, and protection services for devices, according to the announcement. A 250-seat customer service center will be set up in the US to assist subscribers. Customers will be able to switch to the Trump Mobile network with their current phones,or connect with the new Android-based T1.
Businesses that purchase network capacity from one of the big three US wireless networks — known as Mobile Virtual Network Operators — are an increasingly hot category for reaching niche markets. The trio of actors who host the popular SmartLess podcast, Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes, recently announced they are starting their own phone company on T-Mobile’s network aimed at low-data-usage customers who’d like to save money on their bills each month.
Last week, DTTM Operations LLC filed applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to use the Trump name and the term T1 for a range of telecom-related services and products. The filings cover mobile phones, phone cases, battery chargers, wireless services, and potentially even physical retail stores.
We’ve partnered with some of the greatest people in the industry to make sure that real Americans get true value from their mobile carriers.
The venture operates under T1 Mobile LLC, which is leveraging the Trump name and trademark—similar to other Trump-branded businesses. However, according to an official release, the Trump Organization itself is not involved in the design, development, manufacturing, or distribution of the cellular service.
(With inputs from Bloomberg)
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