After it was put through the Tom’s Guide lab testing process, I finally got my hands on the Trump Phone T1 — a $499 device that “isn’t just another smartphone; it’s a bold step toward wireless independence.” It’s been a long, weird road for this device, but with a massive World Cup match ahead of me, I figured there was no better way to spend my first 24 hours with it than putting it through its paces.
Just as a refresher, the Trump Phone T1 is an Android phone sold online that’s designed to run on Trump Mobile, with plans starting at $47.45 per month. I took the opportunity during the Ecuador vs. Germany World Cup match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to see exactly what this device can do. Here’s what I found out.
It’s iridescent
Pulling the T1 out of its box, I’ll admit the design makes an immediate statement that commands attention — and not just because of the inaccurate American flag embossed on the back.
The back panel is heavily iridescent, shifting and shimmering when it catches the light at the right angle. Say what you will about the branding, but this finish ensures it isn’t boring. Fans who I handed it to at the match were instantly amused by the shimmer. If it were anything else, it would be utterly forgettable.
A blast from the past
By now, you’re probably aware that the Trump Phone T1 is allegedly an HTC U24 Pro in disguise. Even though I haven’t personally used that specific phone, the overall aesthetics indicate that the T1’s design is a few generations old.
It flaunts an AMOLED screen with curved edges hugged by a chamfered metallic trim — an aesthetic that immediately reminds me of the Galaxy S6 Edge from back in 2015. If that’s not enough to signal its age, another person I handed the phone to even was surprised by the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Generous 512GB of storage
For the price, I think the Trump Phone T1 is overpriced — especially considering it’s packing a dated Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset. However, the big surprise for me while snapping photos and videos at the World Cup match was realizing it comes with 512GB of storage. That’s a huge amount of space for a phone in this tier, meaning I didn’t have to rely on cloud storage as much as I normally would.
Security risk alert out of the box
Ironically, one of the first things I encountered upon booting the T1 was a system alert warning that the device was at risk. That’s the last thing anyone wants to see right out of the box, though a quick software update did patch the immediate issue.
Still, the scare underscores a broader concern regarding software support, which lacks the clear roadmap I see from major manufacturers. The phone ships with Android 15 and that’s telling.
After applying the initial patch that cleared up my security warnings, I couldn’t find any additional updates over the air. That leaves a massive question mark over the device’s future: who knows if or when it will ever see Android 16, let alone Android 17?
4K video clips are shaky
What matters most to me in a smartphone is reliable camera performance. Unfortunately, the Trump Phone T1 didn’t win me over after shooting photos and videos at the World Cup match.
The most glaring issue was just how shaky the footage looked when recording in 4K — a flaw that became even more pronounced when I used the digital zoom. You can watch the video clip above to see what I mean, but when compared to a similar clip I shot on my iPhone 17 Pro, the difference is night and day.
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It was hard to tell what the quality was like from its cameras, which consist of a 50MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto, and 50MP selfie. Since the lighting conditions were favorable at the World Cup match, the photos are passable by my standards, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say they’re outstanding.
No cool wallpapers
At halftime, I was scrolling through the T1 and realized just how generic the default Trump Mobile wallpaper looked on my home screen. Given the branding, I was expecting a few epic wallpapers — perhaps even some stylized, AI-generated options — but that wasn’t the case. You only get one, and the rest are up to you to find.
Secondly, the phone comes preloaded with two specific apps: Truth Social and Doctegrity. While some buyers might be inclined to use the former, I’m already on way too many social networks and don’t need yet another platform to manage.
A better alternative (for half the price)
I can name a handful of other phones worthier of my hard-earned money, but if you’re planning to spend $499 on a smartphone, there’s a much better alternative. The $249 Nuu B40 5G reminds me a lot of the Trump Phone T1, but at half the cost. It even shares nearly the same aesthetics, plus it features a second display on the rear that’s incredibly useful for framing selfies and vlogging.
On top of that, rather than locking yourself into a $47.45 per month rate with Trump Mobile, you can save way more by pairing an unlocked device with carriers like Visible, Mint Mobile, or Total Wireless.
Flashy looks can only get a phone so far before they begin to fade. There are clearly plenty of reasons why I wouldn’t recommend getting the Trump Phone T1 after spending 24 hours with it, but it really doesn’t help that you’re essentially buying two-year-old hardware at this point.
Unless you’re strictly buying this device as a novelty item, your money is far better spent elsewhere. Skip the T1 and opt for a budget contender that prioritizes actual daily performance over branding.
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