Trump Mobile says the Trump Phones will begin shipping this week — after months of speculation they might never launch

That's a relief to people after T1 Mobile LLC (the company behind Trump Mobile) updated its preorder terms and conditions last month to read it "does not guarantee that a Device will be produced or made available for purchase."

Trump Mobile initially said its phone would be released in August 2025. That date came and went, however, without a release. And recently many were wondering if it would ever actually materialize.

Trump Mobile CEO Pat O'Brien said the "delays were worth it in our minds as we are delivering an amazing product." People who wanted one of the phones were required to put down a $100 deposit. The phone will ultimately cost $499 after promotions.

Made in the USA?

When the Trump Organization announced its cellular brand last June, it touted the devices would be "made in the USA," keeping in line with Trump administration policies.

Ten days later, however, the website removed all language indicating the device was manufactured in the U.S. Instead, it substituted language that was much more vague, such as saying it was "designed with American values in mind" and it's "brought to life right here in the USA."

O'Brien said the first T1 phones were, in fact, assembled in the U.S. and models moving forward will use components primarily manufactured in America.

That wasn't the only change, though. The Verge (2) noted that the specs for the T1 phone were dialed down after the phone was introduced. The screen is now smaller (having been reduced from 6.78 inches to 6.25 inches) and all information about RAM was removed from the website.

Skepticism then and now

Skepticism about Trump Mobile's claims was almost immediate when the company was announced.

"As someone who's spent over a decade building a secure, privacy-first smartphone, focusing on manufacturing in the U.S., and I can say this with confidence: Producing a fully U.S.-made phone isn't something you spin up overnight," Todd Weaver, CEO of Purism, the only company currently producing a U.S.-made smartphone (3), told Fortune (4). "If the Trump phone is promising a $499 price tag with domestic manufacturing, this announcement looks to be classic vaporware."