this post was submitted on 16 Jun 2025
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cross-posted from: https://rss.ponder.cat/post/207763

Your next phone could run on Trump Mobile

Donald Trump might be planning to launch a mobile network and a Trump-branded phone. DTTM Operations LLC, the company Trump uses to manage his trademarks, has applied to use both “Trump” and “T1” for telecoms, mobile accessories, and even phones themselves.

The applications, filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office last Thursday, cover wireless phone services, mobile phones, cases, and chargers, plus retail stores to sell them all.

A trademark application doesn’t guarantee that a Trump mobile network is about to launch, but it does signal intent. “The specificity of the applications points to serious consideration,” patent attorney Josh Gerben wrote in a blog post on Friday, noting that as part of the filing a lawyer for Trump will have “signed a sworn declaration affirming the company’s genuine plans to bring these goods and services to market.”

Trump launching a mobile network could have complications. For one, Gerben points out that T-Mobile might have a thing or two to say about the application, since “T1” could infringe on its own trademarks. That’s before we get to the question of how FCC chairman Brendan Carr will handle regulating a network owned by his boss.

Trump isn’t the only public figure with his sights set on telecoms. While Ryan Reynolds has gotten out after selling his stake in Mint Mobile to T-Mobile in 2023, just last week saw the launch of SmartLess Mobile, brought to you by the podcast of the same name hosted by Hollywood stars Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes.


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[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 hours ago

Let's hope the phone is of such low quality that the battery self-combusts in users' pockets.

[–] [email protected] 65 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Reminds me of the time my inlaws switched to Patriot Mobile to get away from the "liberals at AT&T". I don't know which part of the grift is the most laughable.

A.) The fact that AT&T is not at all "liberal" and is very supportive of conservative politics.

B.) The fact that Patriot Wireless is an MVNO and at that time operated solely on AT&T's infrastructure, so now your money is going to AT&T AND a third party middle-man.

MAGA is essentially just one giant con job.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

But I bet they feel morally superior. Stupid people spend their money on things they find important. Even if it's just feeling like a better person than some brown person. This is why education is always an important thing.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 22 hours ago

That’s why they’re destroying education.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 day ago

On the one hand, I hate seeing people scammed.

On the other hand, it's nice that they have less money to spend on political donations.

[–] [email protected] 47 points 1 day ago (3 children)

There are numerous errors on the page, from a processor section that doesn’t list a processor, RAM that’s described as storage, and the boast of a “5000mAh long life camera,” when it presumably means the battery.

Sounds like a quality product.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Copy-pasted the Chinese to English translation from whatever company website is making the phones.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 hours ago

even that shouldn't result in such utter nonsense, especially not nowadays where google translate is generally decent

[–] [email protected] 9 points 23 hours ago

Now that's Fascist efficiency in action.

Hey TACO Boy, for your next trick will you make the trains run on time?

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Either doesn't exist, or they found a shit load of old filpphones that were scheduled to be recycled and want to pass them off to their base. After all only a moron would legit want one of these phones.

My guess is its all a grift and they will happily take your money and never deliver. Also it's another way to take bribes from foreign countries without oversight.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Doesn't look like a flip phone to me. More like a knockoff iPhone, which is pretty on brand

[–] [email protected] 4 points 23 hours ago

That's just a picture, have you seen the actual phome?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

More like the Island Boys method

[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 day ago (2 children)

...a Trump-branded phone, the T1, which they claim will be made in America.

no it wont. we do not have the infrastructure to make all of the components in america. they might be able to assemble it here, but it will definitely not be made here.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 23 hours ago

Literally all trump merch is made in SEA and he claims it's made in America and no one cares.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 23 hours ago

Easy, you import a phone and case, and the "manufacturing" is a worker who puts the case onto the phone and places it in branded packaging, slap a made in America sticker, and there ya go.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Ha, T1 is so outdated, his team doesn't even know it's an existing slow standard.

It's like naming your new gold-plated "luxury" car brand "Horse & Buggy."

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago

Even if it was the fastest standard with the latest hardware, a shit load of memory, the best camera imaginable … I wouldn’t want anything in my house with the name “Trump” on it, even if it were a gift.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 23 hours ago

Isn't this a plot point in The Kingsman?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 23 hours ago

Does the phone's browser filter out everything but MAGA content?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 23 hours ago

So the mobile company is called T1 Mobile. Doesn't that infringe on the trademark of T Mobile? Seems like that would be confusing to a customer. Since it's an MVNO, T1 Mobile is likely piggy backing off of T Mobile's network.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

You can prepay for a year of unlimited with Mint Mobile for way less than this.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There’s a promotional $34/mo rate if you preorder.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 23 hours ago

They couldn't pay me.