Hang on, there’s a Trump Phone Ultra coming too? | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hang on, there’s a Trump Phone Ultra coming too?Comments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...NewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyHang on, there’s a Trump Phone Ultra coming too?We’re still waiting for the first Trump Phone, but one of Trump Mobile’s execs claims a higher spec version is on the way.We’re still waiting for the first Trump Phone, but one of Trump Mobile’s execs claims a higher spec version is on the way.by Dominic PrestonCloseDominic PrestonNews EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Dominic PrestonJan 23, 2026, 5:27 PM UTCLinkShareGiftImage: The Verge / ShutterstockPart OfWe’re still talking about the Trump phonesee all updates Dominic PrestonCloseDominic PrestonPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Dominic Preston is a news editor with over a decade’s experience in journalism. He previously worked at Android Police and Tech Advisor.Where’s the Trump Phone? We’re going to keep talking about it every week. We’ve reached out, as usual, to ask about the Trump Phone’s whereabouts. As usual, we’re still waiting for a response. In the meantime, it turns out we might have two Trump Phones to worry about.The Trump Phone may be no more than a whisper in the wind, but Trump Mobile is already planning a second. One of the company’s top executives revealed in an interview that a “T1 Ultra” is also in the works, though we know even less about it than we do about the first phone.The unexpected comments were made by Don Hendrickson, one of the three executives Trump Mobile brought out on stage at the service’s launch, described then as its head of mobile operations. Last November, he spoke to trade publication Wireless Dealer Magazine in an interview that has so far gone largely unnoticed, but ends with a tantalizing tease of the company’s future hardware.“Our next major step is the launch of the T1 Ultra.”“We’re focused on evolving with our customers by offering even more powerful tools that fit their lives,” Hendrickson said. “Our next major step is the launch of the T1 Ultra — a premium device that builds on the success of the original T1 with enhanced performance, upgraded features, and the same bold, American-proud design.”“The T1 Ultra will offer a top-tier user experience while staying true to our mission of combining value, functionality, and patriotic branding. As we expand, expect to see more integrated services, exclusive perks, and new product tiers — always centered around the same promise: delivering more than just wireless and doing it the Trump℠ Mobile way,” he added.There’s a lot to unpack here. First is the claim to be building on “the success of the original T1,” a phone that is now five months late and counting, sparking Democratic lawmakers to write to the FTC asking it to investigate. Can an unlaunched phone really be a success? I suppose it depends how many $100 deposits the company has taken, though as I reported last week, we still don’t know what that figure looks like.The regular T1 Phone is still MIA. Image: Trump MobileUnsurprisingly for a phone to be branded “Ultra,” the new handset will apparently have “enhanced performance” and “upgraded features,” though Hendrickson is vague on the details. The original T1 promises budget specs at a midrange price — though we still don’t know some core elements like what chipset it uses — so there’s plenty of room for an Ultra to improve on it.The name, of course, echoes Samsung’s Galaxy S Ultra line, though similar branding has been adopted by the likes of Xiaomi, Vivo, Asus (RIP), Oppo, and Honor. For the most part, those phones feature the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon flagship chips, triple or quadruple rear cameras with advanced telephoto lenses, and cost north of $1,000. Anything similar would be a big jump from the $499 T1 Phone, though the promise of “new product tiers” suggests an ambition to hit other price points in the future too.Then there’s the manufacturing. Having learned from Trump Mobile’s initial made-in-America walk back, Hendrickson only says the T1 Ultra will have “American-proud design,” the same wording currently used to describe the T1. We’ve yet to find out what exactly that means, or precisely how gold we should expect the T1 Ultra to be. Can American-proud design compete with the Chinese retail giant JD.com, apparently about to start selling pure gold iPhone cases for up to $16,000?Still, there’s reason to doubt in the T1 Ultra, beyond the obvious. Hendrickson claims that “customers are drawn to… the exclusive T1 Ultra phone,” and “eager to buy into” it, an impossibility for a phone that hadn’t even been mentioned publicly before this interview was published. Were the T1 and the T1 Ultra getting muddled together, or was this a prewritten interview intended to go live after a full Ultra announcement that never took place?“Delivering more than just wireless, and doing it the Trump℠ Mobile way.”The Ultra isn’t the only interesting tidbit in Hendrickson’s interview. He also claims to have been the originator of the Trump Mobile idea, claiming he “approached [the Trumps] with the concept,” because “they know how to build movements, not just businesses.” So now we know who to thank for all this.And if you’re wondering about the curious “Trump℠,” which you might have seen pop up before in places like the Trump Mobile website small print, it’s the symbol for a service mark — a variant on the trademark used for services, rather than physical products, and which indicates that the Trump trademark for the mobile industry has been applied for, but not yet approved. It’s yet another element of Trump Mobile that’s still more fiction than fact.As ever, Trump Mobile didn’t reply to my request for comment.Got inside information on Trump Mobile or the Trump Phone? Reach out securely from a personal device to tips@theverge.com, or see our How to Tip Us page.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Dominic PrestonCloseDominic PrestonNews EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Dominic PrestonGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsMobileCloseMobilePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All MobileNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPhonesClosePhonesPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PhonesPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMore in: We’re still talking about the Trump phone600,000 Trump Mobile phones sold? 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The Trump Phone Ultra: A Potential Second Act for Trump Mobile

Trump Mobile continues to generate headlines, and this time, the buzz centers around a potential “T1 Ultra” – a higher-spec version of their already delayed and largely unproven Trump Phone. According to recent reports, including an interview with top executive Don Hendrickson, Trump Mobile is actively pursuing this second iteration, aiming to capitalize on the initial interest, though the details remain frustratingly vague.

The initial Trump Phone, launched five months ago, has been plagued by delays and a lack of concrete information, prompting Democratic lawmakers to request an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) into the company’s operations. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the company is moving forward, with Hendrickson stating that the T1 Ultra will “evolve with our customers” by offering “enhanced performance” and “upgraded features,” mirroring the standard T1 Phone’s promise of combining value, functionality, and patriotic branding.

Hendrickson, who initially headed mobile operations, has a surprisingly significant role in the company’s narrative, claiming he was the originator of the Trump Mobile concept, approaching the Trumps with the idea, leveraging their ability to build “movements” rather than just businesses. He is also responsible for the company’s branding, using the “Trump℠” symbol as a trademark for its mobile services.

The "Ultra" designation immediately evokes comparisons to Samsung’s Galaxy S Ultra line, fueling speculation about the phone's potential specifications. While details remain scarce, Hendrickson suggests the T1 Ultra will offer a “top-tier user experience” and will incorporate “exclusive perks and new product tiers,” anticipating expansion beyond just wireless communication. However, the company’s track record and the lack of transparency cast doubt on these ambitions.

Furthermore, the emphasis on "American-proud design," used to describe both the T1 and the T1 Ultra, adds another layer of complexity. The specifics of this design are not defined, adding to the overall ambiguity surrounding the brand. The success of the T1 Ultra will be measured against the company's earlier ambitions, and the reactions of the public.

The company's actions further highlight the challenges it faces. Despite minimal public awareness regarding the T1 Ultra, it’s currently in development. The company's plans are also mirroring other top brands, such as Samsung. This creates a competitive dynamic with some degree of uncertainty about the company's future.

Ultimately, the ultimate success of the T1 Ultra -- and, perhaps, Trump Mobile -- hinges on its ability to deliver on promises of performance and features, while simultaneously establishing itself as a viable player in the mobile market. The company’s history and lack of concrete information make this a significant challenge.