President Trump not only wants to sell you your next phone but provide the mobile wireless service for that device.
Technically, the phone is being developed by the Trump Organization, the business run by the president's children that's launched a number of side hustles related to his presidency.
Indeed, the T1 Phone from the Trump Organization appears to be exactly that, with its announcement date of today (June 16) timed to mark the 10th anniversary of Donald Trump announcing his first run for the presidency.
The gold-toned T1 Phone is supposed to ship in August for $499, and the Trump Organization says it will be built in the U.S. That's in keeping with a stated goal of the president, who wants to return more manufacturing jobs to the U.S., especially tech devices.
Just last month, President Trump threatened to slap a 25% tariff on Apple unless it moved iPhone manufacturing to the U.S. — a tricky demand since the U.S. lacks the kind of manufacturing facilities and equipment to build phones at the scale Apple needs.
Even before the phone arrives, the Trump Organization plans to launch its own wireless service called Trump Mobile. The carrier's lone plan, the 47 Plan, features unlimited data for $47.45/month — prices that coincide with Trump's two terms in office.
Trump Mobile is what's known as a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO, in that it will rely on other carriers' towers for cellular service. In a statement announcing the launch of Trump Mobile, the Trump Organization says it offering "5G service through all three major cellular carriers," which would mean AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.
Should you consider either the T1 Phone or getting your wireless service from Trump Mobile? Here's what we know so far about the phone and how Trump Mobile's advertised plan compares to other wireless options.
The T1 Phone: What we know so far
The Trump Organization has posed a few specs for the T1 Phone, though some key details are missing. The phone will feature a 6.8-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. A 5,000 mAh battery that supports 20W charging speeds supplies the power. There's no indication the phone will offer wireless charging.
Images of the phone depict a triple-camera array, though the listed specs suggest a less-than-robust setup. While the main camera uses a 50MP sensor, those other rear cameras are apparently a 2MP depth sensor and 2MP macro lens.
While it's not uncommon for sub-$500 phones to lack a dedicated telephoto lens — the Nothing Phone 3a and Nothing Phone 3a Pro are two exceptions — many devices in the T1 Phone's price range do feature an ultrawide lens. The Pixel 9a, our current pick for the best cheap phone under $500, has a dual-lens setup with an ultrawide camera joining the main shooter.
The T1 Phone promises 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage. Information about the system-on-chip that will power the phone isn't listed.
In terms of design, the back of the phone looks to feature a giant T1 logo on top of a smaller logo of the American flag.
While the phone isn't supposed to arrive until August, the Trump Organization is taking pre-orders now, though you'll have to put up a deposit $100 — around one-fifth of the total cost to secure your order.
Considering this is the Trump Organization's first stab at making a phone, I'd be inclined to hold on to my money until there was a shipping product, especially since you're able to bring your current phone to the Trump Mobile service if you decide to make that MVNO your wireless carrier.
For what it's worth, a reporter for 404 Media tried placing a pre-order for the T1 Phone. According to his account, the website failed and his credit card was charged $64.70.
The Trump Mobile 47 Plan: What you get
So should you turn to Trump Mobile for your wireless coverage? If you do, you'll have just one plan — the $47.45/month 47 Plan, which promises unlimited data with 5G coverage. However, only 20GB of that unlimited data is guaranteed to be high-speed data.
In terms of perks, the Trump Organization says the 47 Plan includes free international calling to 100 countries, with families of military service members receiving free calls to overseas bases. Other perks include device protection, 24/7 roadside assistance and teleheath services.
How the Trump Mobile 47 Plan compares
In an interview with Fox Business, Eric Trump — both the president's son and the executive vice president of the Trump Organization — touted the low cost of the 47 Plan. "It's going to be cheaper, 47 bucks a month," he said. "You're going to have more internet. More international dialing for free, hundreds of countries. International dialing for free. It is the biggest bang for the buck."
A $47.45/month unlimited plan certainly undercuts what the big carriers charge for unlimited data. T-Mobile's Essentials Saver plan costs $50/month after an autopay discount, and AT&T has a $51/month Value Plus plan. At Verizon, the Unlimited Welcome plan starts at $65/month, but the carrier's prepaid options include a $50/month unlimited plan.
Those unlimited plans from the major carriers are pretty bare-bones in terms of perks, though, and certainly lack the extras Trump Mobile's 47 Plan promises.
Unlimited plan | Monthly cost | High-speed data cap |
Trump Mobile 47 Plan | $47.45 | 20GB |
AT&T Value Plus plan | $51 | Speeds can be slowed if network is congested |
Boost Mobile Unlimited plan | $25 | 30GB |
Mint Mobile | $30 (with upfront annual payment) | None |
T-Mobile Essentials Saver | $50 | 50GB |
Verizon Unlimited Welcome | $65 | Speeds can be slowed if network is congested |
Visible Plus plan | $35 | 50GB |
The 47 Plan compares less favorably to unlimited data offerings from fellow MVNO outfits.
Visible currently offers my pick for the best unlimited data plan with its $35/month Visible Plus plan, which delivers fast Ultra Wideband 5G from Verizon's network. What's more, that plan features 50GB of high-speed data, dwarfing the 20GB in the Trump Mobile plan. A current promotion at Visible running through the end of June cuts the Visible Plus rate to $30/month for the next three years when you sign up with a 'SAVE5' promo code.
If you don't mind paying for a year of cellular service in advance, Mint Mobile also offers a low monthly rate on unlimited data. A year's worth of service normally costs $30/month or an upfront payment of $360, though currently Mint is discounting that with $20/month or $240. Mint gets its wireless coverage from T-Mobile, which also owns Mint. It's also notable that Mint has no cap on high-speed data.
Boost Mobile is building out its own network, with supplemental coverage from AT&T and T-Mobile to extend its reach nationwide. That carrier has a $25/month unlimited plan with a 30GB on high-speed data. Boost also says it will lock in that rate for as long as you're a customer, meaning no price hikes.
In other words, Trump Mobile may be touting the low cost of its cell phone plan. But multiple carriers beat it on price.
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