Trump Phone Begins Shipping This Week, CEO Says
▼ Summary
– Trump Mobile CEO Pat O’Brien confirmed to USA Today that the T1 phone will begin shipping to buyers this week, with all preorders fulfilled within weeks.
– The phone has faced 11 months of delays since its announcement, which O’Brien acknowledged but attributed to delivering an “amazing product.”
– Trump Mobile released its first promotional video showing the redesigned handset, packaging, and accessories like a clear case and gold braided USB-C cable.
– The phone recently received FCC, PTCRB, and Google Play certification, indicating it is in final launch stages.
– O’Brien broke media silence amid viral reports of canceled preorders, but The Verge found no evidence of cancellation emails beyond unverified claims.
After more than a year of delays and a swirl of online speculation, the Trump-branded smartphone is finally set to reach customers. Trump Mobile CEO Pat O’Brien confirmed to USA Today that the device, officially called the T1 Phone, will start shipping to preorder customers this week. The announcement arrives just as viral reports spread across the internet claiming that many preorders had been canceled.
O’Brien stated in an email that all preorders will be fulfilled within the next few weeks. He acknowledged the long wait , the phone was first announced 11 months ago , but offered no detailed explanation for the repeated delays. “Those delays were worth it in our minds as we are delivering an amazing product,” he said.
Alongside the shipping news, Trump Mobile shared its first promotional video with USA Today. The footage showcases the redesigned handset, which first appeared on the company’s website last month, along with its packaging. The phone will reportedly ship with a clear plastic case, a power brick, and a gold braided USB-C cable.
While the sudden release timeline seems unexpected, it follows several key regulatory milestones. The phone has recently passed certifications from the FCC and PTCRB, and The Verge can confirm it was added last week to Google’s public list of devices certified for Google Play , typically one of the final steps before an Android phone hits the market.
This confirmation marks a rare public statement from a company that has largely ignored media inquiries. I personally haven’t received a reply to any of my emails to Trump Mobile since executives showed me the revised phone in February. Still, I’ve reached out again to confirm the imminent release.
O’Brien’s decision to break the silence may have been prompted by a wave of media coverage suggesting that buyers had received emails notifying them of canceled preorders. That story even made it onto Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show. I had planned to address those claims in my weekly Trump Mobile update, as there’s no real evidence of cancellation emails beyond unverified social media posts. The only basis for the rumor was Trump Mobile’s updated preorder terms of service, which didn’t guarantee the phone would ever ship , something I reported on last month, describing it as likely “boilerplate legal caution.”
Much of the recent viral coverage also repeats the claim that 600,000 people have preordered the T1 Phone. I debunked that months ago. O’Brien declined to confirm the exact number to USA Today, but said the company is “incredibly pleased with the interest in both the Trump Mobile service and the T1 phones.”
The Verge has its own T1 Phone preordered, but we haven’t received any email confirming delivery this week. We’ll be watching closely for its arrival.
(Source: The Verge)