[Source / Observer Network, Shao Yun]
Following the "Gold Card Visa" and the joint Bible-scented watch, etc., on the 16th, U.S. President Trump launched the "Golden Phone" through his family enterprise, the Trump Organization, officially entering the telecommunications market, which has once again raised concerns about conflicts of interest. It is reported that this phone is priced at $499 (approximately RMB 3582), claiming to be designed and manufactured in the United States. However, the feasibility of this claim has been widely questioned by the outside world.
According to a report by Bloomberg on June 16, Trump's two sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., announced this news in New York at the Trump Tower that day. It is said that this date coincides with the 10th anniversary of Trump's announcement of his candidacy for the presidency.
From the renderings on the official website, this smartphone named "T1" will feature a golden metal casing, engraved with "T1" and the American flag on the back, running on an Android system, with only one configuration of 12GB + 256GB memory.
Rendering image of the "T1" phone Trump Mobile website
Together with the launch of this phone is a monthly package priced at $47.45, clearly corresponding to Trump's identities as the 45th and 47th presidents of the United States. According to the Trump Organization's introduction, after purchasing the package, users will have access to nationwide 5G networks and "telemedicine, roadside assistance for vehicles, and unlimited text messaging services across 100 countries worldwide."
According to Bloomberg, DTTM Operations LLC, the company managing Trump's trademarks, filed an application last week with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) seeking to register "Trump" and "T1" for use in telecommunications services, covering phones, phone cases, chargers, wireless communication services, and potential retail stores.
In line with Trump's own "America First" agenda, both of these new services are promoted with an emphasis on America - not only claiming to be "designed and manufactured in the United States," but also highlighting that the call center service for the package comes from an American company. "You're not calling a call center in Bangladesh," Eric said in an interview with Fox News on the 16th. "You're calling St. Louis, Missouri."
Eric interviewed regarding Trump Organization's entry into the telecommunications market and the 10th anniversary of Trump's presidential announcement Fox News
However, some media outlets pointed out that compared to other similar communication service providers in the U.S., this "47 package" endorsed by Trump is significantly more expensive. NBC reported on the 16th that Boost Mobile and Verizon offer similar unlimited data packages at only $25 per month. T-Mobile and Spectrum also offer unlimited data packages for $30 per month.
The Trump Organization's promise of "American design and manufacturing" has also been questioned for its authenticity. Reuters noted that almost all smartphones sold in the U.S. are produced overseas, mainly in China, South Korea, as well as recently emerging India and Vietnam.
Currently, only one American company manufactures smartphones domestically, which is Purism based in California. The price of Purism's Liberty phone is as high as $1999. It is reported that almost all components are made and assembled in the U.S., and even the operating system is developed by the company's internal team - but the casing still comes from China.
"If the Trump phone promises a price of $499 and is domestically produced, it looks like typical vaporware," said Todd Weaver, CEO of Purism.
In response to the doubts, Eric was vague in an interview with a conservative podcast on the 16th, implying that the Trump phone "will ultimately" be fully manufactured in the U.S. Reuters interpreted this as suggesting that the first batch of "golden phones" delivered in August might not be American-made. Notably, Trump himself has explicitly threatened Apple, stating that if its iPhones are not manufactured in the U.S., he would impose tariffs on them.
In addition, Trump's entry into the telecommunications sector has sparked new concerns about conflicts of interest. Similar to many other joint products before, Trump will not participate in actual business operations but will charge fees for licensing his name and trademark for promotional purposes. For this profit model, there have long been concerns outside whether someone might become a client of this business for the purpose of influencing Trump.
The Guardian pointed out that the communication industry, which the Trump family is now attempting to enter, is a highly regulated industry by federal agencies, and Trump, as president, has administrative power over these regulatory agencies. "It would be difficult to hold the company accountable if there were problems or if things got out of control," said Robert Weissman, co-chair of the non-profit watchdog group Public Citizen.
Last Friday's financial disclosure documents showed that Trump earned over $600 million in 2024 from trademark licensing, cryptocurrency projects, golf courses, and other businesses, with trademark licensing alone bringing him over $8 million in revenue.
According to Forbes' estimate in March, Trump's current net worth is $5.1 billion, more than doubling from a year ago. Forbes stated that part of the increase in assets is due to Trump having a loyal fanbase, who are believed to have helped boost the valuation of Truth Social, Trump's social media company. Last year, Truth Social accounted for approximately half of Trump's net worth.
This article is an exclusive contribution from Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516716311788077594/
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