The Trump Organization has entered the US wireless industry with plans to release Trump Mobile, a new telecom brand that will sell $499 gold smartphones starting in August. The phones will be manufactured in the United States, and the service will use 5G networks from all three major carriers—Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. The announcement came just 24 days after President Donald Trump threatened Apple and Samsung with a 25% tariff for building phones outside the country. According to trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who reported the development in a blog post, the Trump trademark management arm DTTM Operations LLC filed two new applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The applications cover the names TRUMP and T1, and include retail services for phones, cases, and chargers. Gerben, who runs Gerben IP, confirmed that both applications were filed under an intent-to-use status, which means Trump’s company isn’t currently selling the products—but plans to. Trump Mobile to offer US-made phones, 5G, and global features The new Trump Mobile service will launch with a flagship plan offering 5G connectivity, telehealth access, and free international calling to over 100 countries. The telecom project is being led by Donald Trump Jr., who serves as executive vice president of the Trump Organization. “Trump Mobile is going to change the game,” Don Jr. said . “We’re building on the movement to put America first, and we will deliver the highest levels of quality and service.” This move pushes the Trump business into a space it hasn’t touched before. The organization has built its brand on real estate, hospitality, and merchandise, but never telecom. Gerben said, “While a trademark filing doesn’t guarantee a product launch, the specificity of the applications points to serious consideration.” He added that this could give Trump supporters a MAGA-branded alternative in the mobile world—“offering loyal supporters not just red hats, but possibly red phones for their pockets.” The product is also arriving as a response to Trump’s own trade pressure. On May 23, Trump publicly warned Apple ($AAPL) and Samsung that they’d face tariffs if they continued manufacturing outside the US. Now, less than a month later, his own company is launching a Made-in-USA phone. The timing isn’t subtle. T-Mobile may fight Trump’s T1 trademark filing The T1 part of the filing could spark legal problems. Gerben explained that T-Mobile might challenge the application on grounds of trademark infringement. T-Mobile could argue that T1 is too close to its own brand, and that an average consumer might think the two are linked. If that happens, the company would have to show that people could confuse Trump Mobile with a T-Mobile affiliate, especially since both operate in the same market. Gerben pointed out that it’s unlikely T-Mobile would sit back and allow another “T”-named network in the mobile phone space, because it would weaken the brand’s legal protection. And if Trump’s network actually rolls out using T1, T-Mobile could take the battle to court. Legal issues aside, Trump Mobile is stepping into a crowded market. It will face competition from the Big Three carriers and a growing list of budget-friendly MVNOs—carriers that lease network space from bigger players to offer cheaper plans. Trump’s strategy is to use the MVNO model, piggybacking on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile infrastructure, while pushing the service with patriotic branding. Since January 2017, there have been 27 trademark filings linked to Donald Trump’s companies . Most have focused on branding for hotels, products, or services tied to Trump’s political image. But this one is different. The company is moving into an industry where customer expectations and infrastructure are on another level entirely. Unlike selling T-shirts or bottled water, telecom is a game of monthly bills, dropped calls, and network speed tests. KEY Difference Wire : the secret tool crypto projects use to get guaranteed media coverage
