Trump Mobile defends claims that phones are 'made in America'
Earlier this month, the Trump Organization, the group that oversees the president's business ventures, unveiled the new T1 Phone, which uses an Android operating system, and an accompanying cellular network with 5G service.
Following the announcement, the service's homepage initially featured a banner claiming the phones would be "MADE IN AMERICA," according to technology news outlet The Verge. However, the outlet reported that all language indicating that claim has been scrubbed as of Wednesday, June 25.
Chris Walker, a Trump Mobile spokesperson, dismissed the report, saying that "T1 phones are proudly being made in America."
"Speculation to the contrary is simply inaccurate," Walker said in a statement to USA TODAY.
A pre-order message on its website previously referred to the device as a "MADE IN THE USA 'T1 Phone,'" a June 16 Getty Images photo illustration shows.
In a June 16 news release announcing T1 Phone, the Trump Organization touted a "sleek, gold smartphone engineered for performance and proudly designed and built in the United States for customers who expect the best from their mobile carrier."
Eric Trump said T1 Phone will be 'made right here' in US
In a June 16 interview with Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria", Trump Organization Executive Vice President Eric Trump also alluded to the device being manufactured in the U.S.
"You're not calling up call centers 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 said.
Eric Trump added that Trump Mobile is "going to revolutionize cell phones, mobile calling" as it will fully operate in the U.S.
"I really believe we're gonna have one of the great kind of tech platforms as part of the Trump Organization of any company in the world," he added.
How much is Trump's T1 Phone?
Trump Mobile's T1 Phone is priced at for $499 with a down payment of $100.
The phone is expected to debut later this year.
Its cellular service plan, titled "The 47 Plan," offers unlimited talk, text and data and costs $47.45 per month, a nod to the president's first and second White House terms.
The plan grants users with free international calling to 100 countries, with Eric Trump adding that it will provide free long distance calling for military members and their families.
According to Trump Mobile, other services with the plan include:
24/7 roadside assistance through Drive America
Telehealth services, including virtual medical care, mental health support and ordering and delivery for prescription medications
No contracts and no credit check
Contributing: Melina Khan, USA TODAY
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