The Trump Organization, run by the children of U.S. President Donald Trump, announced Monday it was launching a new mobile phone business: Trump Mobile.
The president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., announced the latest endeavour alongside his brother, Eric Trump, from Trump Tower in New York City.
The so-called “47 Plan,” which is being offered only in the U.S., includes a US$499 smartphone and a $47.45 monthly plan — a nod to the president’s first and second terms — that includes unlimited text, talk and data, a “telehealth and pharmacy benefit” and roadside assistance, according to the venture’s website.
The service will also offer free long-distance calling for military members and their families. No contract or credit check will be required to access the plan.
The smartphone appears to come in a gold-coloured metal case etched with the American flag.
Screengrab / Trumpmobile.com
Eric Trump said the phones, which will go on sale this September, will be made in the U.S., and that the phone service will maintain a call centre in the country as well.
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“You’re not calling up call centres in Bangladesh — do it right out of St. Louis, Missouri, and you’re going to have phones that are made right here in the United States of America,” he told Fox Business in an interview Monday.
“Hard-working Americans deserve a wireless service that’s affordable, reflects their values, and delivers reliable quality they can count on,” he also in a statement, arguing that consumers deserve a phone that aligns with their values.
The “Trump Mobile” announcement comes less than a month after the president threatened to slap 25 per cent tariffs on iPhone maker Apple and other smartphone giants for not producing their phones domestically.
It is the latest in a string of ventures that have been announced while Trump is in the White House.
The announcement of the mobile phone and service, called T1 Mobile — not to be confused with the widely used T-Mobile, an American wireless network operator — follows several real estate deals for towers and resorts in the Middle East, including a golf development in Qatar announced in April. A $1.5 billion partnership to build golf courses, hotels and real estate projects in Vietnam was approved last month, but the deal was in the works before Trump was elected.
Oversight of companies with the Trump name attached has raised ethical concerns.
The Federal Communications Commission, the primary regulatory body overseeing mobile phone companies, has already launched investigations of media outlets Trump dislikes and, in some cases, is personally suing.
As CNBC notes, “the company’s new foray into telecommunications mainly comprises a licensing agreement,” and follows other products the president and his businesses have rolled out during his political careers, like Bibles, sneakers and watches.
On Friday, the president reported that he had made more than $8 million in 2024 from various licensing agreements.
The announcement was timed to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the day Trump took the golden escalator inside Trump Tower down to announce his 2016 presidential run, notes CNN.
— With files from The Associated Press
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