The Trump-branded smartphone might not be “Made in the USA” after all.
Since its announcement, Trump Mobile has changed the wording of its gold-colored T1 smartphone listing.
Now it says the $499 phone will be “brought to life right here in the USA” and “
The listing for the Trump-branded smartphone still promises to Make America Great Again — but not that it’ll be made in the USA.
Since its June 16th announcement, Trump Mobile has changed some of its descriptions, including the once gigantic “MADE IN THE USA” banner. Now, the site says the phone will be “brought to life right here in the USA” and “proudly American.”
That’s an important distinction. The Federal Trade Commission has strict rules for what it considers “qualified” or “unqualified” claims for companies advertising a product as “Made in the USA.” The FTC says that in order to reach that threshold, “all or virtually all” component sourcing and labor must be domestic.
The Verge earlier reported on the product listing change.
Trump Mobile spokesperson Chris Walker told USA Today that the T1 phone would still be made in the US. Trump Mobile did not immediately respond to a request for further comment from Business Insider about the reason behind the change to the product listing.
The Trump Organization sparked skepticism from many in the tech community with its initial announcement that its flagship, gold-colored smartphone called the T1, would be made in the USA for just $499 with the specs advertised.
Apple and other major brands have kept smartphone operations abroad because expected labor costs and a relative lack of manufacturing capacity would further inflate already expensive phones. (One analyst previously told Business Insider that if Apple were to manufacture an iPhone in the US, he’d estimate the cost to rise to $3,500).
The “Made in the USA” language isn’t the only detail to vanish from the T1 phone’s product page. There’s no longer a mention that it will have 12 GB of RAM. Other changes include going from a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen to 6.25 inches.
For its phone network, Trump Mobile’s website says it’s working with Liberty Mobile Wireless, a small Florida-based network, to help establish network capacity.
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