Introduction to the Trump Mobile T1

The golden Trump phone is here, and we're putting it through its paces to see how it matches up with other foreign-made phones on the market.

Almost a year since its announcement, and nine months after its planned launch, the Trump phone has finally arrived -- albeit looking different from the one originally unveiled.

Launch and Production Challenges

The Trump phone, officially known as the Trump Mobile T1, arrived with us this week.

CNET placed a preorder with a $100 deposit in June 2025, and it's worth noting that Trump Mobile expedited our shipment so we could review the T1.

It's also unclear if people who placed a preorder and aren't members of the media have received their phones.

Trump Mobile launched in June 2025 with a $47.45-a-month mobile phone plan, and it announced that the T1 would be made in the US and launch in August 2025.

However, when it became obvious that domestic large-scale smartphone manufacturing would not be possible, Trump Mobile dropped the "made in the US" claim and delayed the launch.

Last month, a redesigned Trump Mobile website finally showcased a new-looking T1 phone, its third redesign.

It followed Trump Mobile executives showing off a handset they said was a near-production version of the T1 phone to The Verge in early February.

The Android phone was delayed due to production issues, the company said last week, when it confirmed the handset would begin shipping to customers.

Real-World Testing

"The technology business is more difficult than some may realize, as parts must be tested for quality assurances," Trump Mobile CEO Pat O'Brien said in a statement to CNET earlier this month.

"We have experienced delays during a variety of steps in getting the T1 to completion, but those delays were worth it in our minds as we are delivering an amazing product." This long weekend, I'll be testing the phone in a real-world environment, using it as my main phone during the Memorial Day long weekend.