In a surprising twist to the ever-expanding Trump business empire, the Trump Organization has entered the mobile phone market with a new venture called Trump Mobile. The announcement was made on June 16, 2025, at Trump Tower in Manhattan, where the former president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., unveiled both a new wireless service and a $499 “sleek, gold smartphone” branded with the Trump name.
The mobile network, set to begin operations in September, will function as an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), meaning it will lease capacity from America’s three major carriers—Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. However, the Trump Organization itself won’t be involved in manufacturing, network maintenance, or tech support. Instead, the family is simply licensing the Trump brand to a third-party operator.
What’s included in the package? According to Trump Jr., subscribers will receive more than just talk and text. For $47.45 per month—a reference to Trump being the 45th and now 47th U.S. President—users will get telemedicine services, roadside assistance, and unlimited texting to over 100 countries.
The smartphone, touted as designed and assembled in the U.S., has raised eyebrows. Given that no major American tech company has managed to manufacture phones domestically at such a price point, many are skeptical. There is currently no robust smartphone production infrastructure in the United States due to high labor costs and dependency on overseas suppliers.
This is not Trump’s first attempt to monetize his presidency. According to a recent financial disclosure, Trump earned over $600 million through licensing deals, cryptocurrency ventures, and other business activities before the end of 2024. His crypto projects alone have pulled in hundreds of millions in revenue since then.
Critics argue that the new mobile deal is just another avenue for Trump to enrich himself while in office. Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig bluntly stated, “No one who has been paying attention could miss that President Trump considers the presidency a vehicle to grow his family’s wealth.”
Trump Mobile follows in the footsteps of other celebrity-backed MVNOs like Ryan Reynolds’ Mint Mobile, which was eventually acquired by T-Mobile for $1.35 billion. However, MVNOs typically hold only 3-4% of U.S. market share and often face high customer turnover. Analysts warn that unless Trump Mobile reaches over a million subscribers, the project’s profitability will remain marginal.
A new website has gone live, promoting the upcoming phone and subscription plan, but crucial details remain murky—including the actual telecom partner and the extent of the Trump Organization’s involvement.
While the Trump family is known for turning controversy into cash, this venture may test whether branding alone can disrupt a highly competitive and technologically demanding industry.
