Trump phone disaster leaves MAGA fans outraged as more than half a million wait for their order
Trump's phone disaster has left MAGA fans outraged as more than half a million wait for their order.
When Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump unveiled the Trump Mobile T1 phone on 16 June 2025, it was pitched as a patriotic alternative to Apple and Samsung.
Timed to mark the tenth anniversary of President Trump's 2016 campaign launch, the gold smartphone, priced at $499, came with a promise that it would be 'Made in the USA.'
The announcement generated huge enthusiasm among MAGA supporters, with an estimated 590,000 people placing $100 deposits to secure the device featuring an American flag design. Altogether, a whopping $59 million was paid in advance.
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However, more than a year later, not a single customer has received the phone.
The T1 was initially promised for late summer 2025. As that deadline came and went, the release date was pushed to November, then to December, and finally to mid-March 2026.
By April, Trump Mobile had quietly redesigned its website and removed all mention of a release date. Hundreds of thousands of frustrated customers didn't receive any explanation or a timeline for when their device would be delivered.
The phone was designed to pair with Trump Mobile's own service plan, branded the 47 Plan at $47.45 per month, a nod to Trump's position as the 47th president.
Operating on the T-Mobile network, the plan promised 100% US-based customer support, unlimited talk, text and data, extensive 5G coverage, telehealth services, roadside assistance, and international calling to over 230 countries.
But what followed was a series of broken promises. NBC News tracked the story directly by placing a $100 deposit in August 2025. The outlet called Trump Mobile's support line five times between September and November 2025, having received no proactive updates from the company.
In October, a company representative confirmed the phone would ship in November which led to a subsequent call confirming a delivery in December.
Another representative then assured the outlet that the T1 would ship 'sometime in Q1 2026,' pointing the blame at the federal government shutdown.
On social media, impatience among Trump's supporters has been building to a boil.
“Hey, Trump supporter here,” one man said in his TikTok. “This one goes out to Don Jr. and Eric…where the f–k’s my phone? I ordered three, no four gold Trump phones in the summer.”
Another user, MAGA Cult Slayer, posted on X: “600,000 people ordered the Trump phone, put $100 deposit down on it, and never got it. So where’s the $60 million Donnie?”
Meanwhile, the small print offers very little comfort as Trump Mobile's Preorder Deposit Terms and Conditions make clear that no sale is guaranteed.
"Estimated ship dates, launch timelines or anticipated production schedule are non-binding estimates only," the terms read. "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."
For now, at least, there is no indication of when or whether that will change.