Trump Mobile’s website still says the T1 Phone is ‘American-made’ | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyNotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.NotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Trump Mobile’s website still says the T1 Phone is ‘American-made’NotificationsNotificationsComments DrawerNotificationsCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts 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 PolicyTrump Mobile’s website still says the T1 Phone is ‘American-made’It probably shouldn’t.It probably shouldn’t.by Dominic PrestonCloseDominic PrestonNews EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Dominic PrestonMay 29, 2026, 12:30 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 the phone’s supposed launch continues, we noticed its website may be violating FTC rules.When the Trump phone was first announced last June, it was proudly promised to be made in America. Trump Mobile quickly walked back that claim, and now promises only that the T1 is “assembled” in the US. Except… it didn’t walk it back everywhere, with one website page still promising that the phone is “American-made,” in likely violation of Federal Trade Commission rules.On the Trump Mobile website’s “Phones” page you can still find the erroneous claim that the T1 is a “Premium American-Made Smartphone for Performance & Privacy,” which I was tipped off to by SEO consultant Sam Penny. It’s not actually visible on the page itself, but appears in its meta title — which in turn populates both the browser tab and search engine results. I’ve asked Trump Mobile for comment; as you might have guessed by now, I haven’t heard back.“American-made” is specifically mentioned by the FTC as a regulated phrase under its Made in USA rules. In order to use it in marketing, a product must be “all or virtually all” made in the US, right down to its components. We still don’t know exactly where the T1 Phone is manufactured, but even Trump Mobile has admitted that its components largely aren’t US-sourced.Otherwise, it’s been a quiet week in the world of Trump Mobile. CNET has been publishing its review of the phone in installments, so check that out if you want some early insight into its practical performance, including a few camera samples and battery life notes. We’re still waiting for our phones.Meanwhile The Guardian dug a little deeper into last week’s customer data breach with the help of Jonathan Soma, a programmer and professor at Columbia University. Soma noted that the leaked data included a total of 27,224 preorder entries, but that the website generated a new entry every time someone reached the last step before payment, regardless of whether they paid the $100 deposit for the phone or not. As The Guardian notes, that means “the true number of preorders was likely to be even lower.”Finally, I might have found the third T1 Phone in the wild. A video showing the phone booting up was posted to TikTok and Instagram by Tres Wittum, a Republican who’s run for both Congress and the Senate in Tennessee, losing the Republican primary each time. I haven’t been able to confirm that Wittum genuinely bought his own T1 Phone, but it does seem possible — if true, it would be the first sign that Trump Mobile has actually shipped a phone to a regular buyer. I’ve asked Wittum how he got the phone, but haven’t heard back yet.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 MobilePhonesClosePhonesPosts 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 PolicyPoliticsClosePoliticsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PoliticsReportCloseReportPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReportTechCloseTechPosts 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 phoneTrump Mobile admits it suffered a data breach.Dominic PrestonMay 22The Trump phone is not hereDominic PrestonMay 22Trump Mobile may be leaking customer addressesDominic PrestonMay 20Most PopularMost PopularKia’s flagship EV has a battery problemThe golden age of handheld gaming is already overThey’ve finally made the Oura Ring smaller and lighterWhat’s next for Microsoft’s Surface PCs?Valve raises Steam Deck prices by more than $200The Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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The discussion surrounding the Trump Mobile T1 Phone is centered on claims of its origin and adherence to federal marketing regulations. The website for Trump Mobile continues to assert that the T1 Phone is "American-made," a claim that the author suggests may violate Federal Trade Commission rules, as the FTC specifically regulates the use of "Made in USA" phrases, requiring that a product must be "all or virtually all" made and sourced within the United States, down to its components. While Trump Mobile has acknowledged that its components are largely not US-sourced, the discrepancy between the marketing claim and the actual manufacturing location remains unresolved, as the company has yet to provide a definitive response. The website still displays erroneous claims, such as listing the T1 as a "Premium American-Made Smartphone for Performance & Privacy" in its meta title, which impacts search engine results and browser tabs.

Beyond the regulatory concerns, the reporting also touches upon operational and customer-related issues concerning the launch. A deeper investigation led by Jonathan Soma, a programmer and professor at Columbia University, analyzed data from a recent customer data breach, finding that the leaked information included 27,224 preorder entries. Soma noted a significant anomaly in the website's operation, observing that the system generated a new entry upon reaching the final payment step, irrespective of whether the customer had actually submitted a $100 deposit. This observation suggests that the true number of preorders may be substantially lower than the publicly listed figures. Furthermore, there is speculation regarding the physical existence of the phone; a video was posted on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram showing the T1 Phone booting up, posted by Tres Wittum, a Republican candidate. If confirmed, this video could represent the first indication that Trump Mobile has actually shipped units to buyers. The overall context of the reporting includes updates from other sources, such as CNET, which is releasing review installments, and the general absence of a direct comment from Trump Mobile regarding these specific issues.