Days after the Trump Organization unveiled plans for a new US-made smartphone, a prominent reference to its American production has been removed from its official website.
The “Made in the USA” tagline, featured in promotional materials for the Trump T1 phone upon its launch announcement on June 16th, was notably absent from the site as of Wednesday, according to media reports.
Key ‘Made in the USA’ Wording Removed
Previously, a banner on the website encouraged visitors to pre-order “our MADE IN THE USA T1 Phone.” This has now been updated to simply refer to the device as “the new T1 phone.”
The initial change was first reported by tech news publisher The Verge.
Trump Mobile Maintains US Production Claim
Despite the alteration in website phrasing, the Trump Mobile organization asserts that the forthcoming phone will still be manufactured in the United States.
A spokesperson told the BBC, “Speculation to the contrary is simply inaccurate.”
They added, “We’re excited to launch the phones later this year, but in the meantime, anyone can switch to Trump Mobile now with their current phones,” directing potential customers to the provider’s existing mobile service website.
While the explicit “Made in the USA” tagline vanished, the company’s website now describes the upcoming mobile plan and phone launch for Americans, listing “American-Proud Design” among the T1 phone’s key features. The site also states the phone is “brought to life right here in the USA,” emphasizing “American hands behind every device.”
Expert Doubt Cast on US Smartphone Manufacturing Feasibility
The initial announcement of a domestically produced Trump smartphone drew significant skepticism from industry experts regarding the practical feasibility of building such a device from scratch in the US under current conditions and timeframes.
Professor Tinglong Dai of Johns Hopkins’ Carey Business School commented that it is “extremely unlikely” the phone could be built fully in the US at this point, particularly without a working prototype. He described the possibility as requiring “a miracle.”
Similarly, CCS Insight analyst Leo Gebbie pointed out that the US “simply does not have the high-tech supply chain” needed for complete smartphone assembly, especially not within the suggested timeframe for the T1’s expected September release. Gebbie suggested that assembling the phone in the US using parts imported from elsewhere might be the most probable method for the company to claim “American sovereignty” over the device.
Broader Context: US Production Push and Challenges
These doubts mirror broader discussions and past efforts regarding bringing electronics manufacturing back to the United States. Former President Donald Trump previously urged Apple to move its iPhone production to the US, even threatening to impose 25% tariffs if the company did not shift manufacturing from countries like India.
However, tech analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities described the idea of Apple manufacturing iPhones domestically as a “fairy tale that is not feasible,” highlighting the immense logistical and supply chain challenges involved.
Separately, Eric Trump, who participated in the launch of the Trump Mobile phone plan, suggested on a recent podcast that while not necessarily immediate, “eventually, all the phones can be built in the United States of America,” potentially positioning full US production as a long-term goal rather than a guaranteed reality for the initial T1 launch.
