Trump Mobile (DJT) has delayed the launch of its gold colored T1 smartphone, which was planned for release by the end of this year. Customer service staff told the Financial Times that a recent U.S. government shutdown slowed parts of the process. As a result, the company said there is now a strong chance the phone will not ship this month.
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The T1 phone was first announced in June, priced at $499 with a $47.45 monthly plan.
At the time, the Trump Organization said the device would be made in the U.S. and compete with phones from Apple (AAPL) and Samsung (SSNLF). However, supply chain experts quickly raised doubts about those claims.
Soon after, Trump Mobile changed its wording to say the phone would be brought to life in the U.S. Later, the planned August launch was pushed to the end of the year. Now, with another delay, the timeline remains unclear.
In the meantime, DJT shares dropped 4.48% on Tuesday, and are down over 60% for the year.
Shift Toward Used Phones
Meanwhile, Trump Mobile has begun selling used Apple and Samsung phones on its website. For example, it offers the iPhone 15 for $629, while Apple sells the newer iPhone 16 for $699. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S24 is listed at $459, slightly below Samsung’s used price.
This shift highlights how hard it is to build a new phone from scratch in the U.S.
Industry data shows that less than 5% of iPhone parts are made in the U.S., which limits local options. As a result, many phone brands rely on Asian supply chains to keep costs down.
At the same time, Trump Mobile’s team has kept a low public profile since the launch event. The network runs on a Florida-based virtual carrier, while customer service is handled by a separate firm. So far, company leaders have not commented on the delay. Overall, Trump Mobile now looks more like a mobile plan provider than a phone maker. The delayed T1 launch and the move into used devices suggest a simpler business path for now.
Truth Social’s technical analysis shows a Sell signal overall, as bearish indicators slightly outweigh bullish ones, with moving averages leaning Strong Sell while shorter-term signals remain mixed.
