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126

MAGAs Are Fuming After Email Confirms They Will Never Get Their $500 Trump Phones or Deposits Back (www.ibtimes.com)

submitted 12 hours ago by Powderhorn@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org

20 comments fedilink hide all child comments

A grift? From Trump? How could we possibly have gotten here?

Nearly 600,000 Trump supporters paid £74 ($100) each towards a gold smartphone that, nearly a year on, does not exist.

The Trump Mobile T1 phone was announced in June 2025 by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump as a patriotic alternative to Apple and Samsung, retailing at £370 ($499) and promising a 'Made in the USA' build.

An estimated 590,000 buyers paid a £74 ($100) deposit to secure one, collectively handing the venture roughly £43.7 million ($59 million). As of May 2026, not a single confirmed customer has received the device. Now, a fresh wave of anger is spreading across MAGA forums after buyers received communication making clear that their money is, for all practical purposes, gone.

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[–] Steve@communick.news 19 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

What'll be hilarious, is when they file a class action suit to get their money back. That'll be gloriously delicious

[–] Powderhorn@beehaw.org 8 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

So, $5 per litigant after legal fees, assuming the DOJ doesn't step in and claim to be the defendant.

[–] tal@lemmy.today 11 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

My impression is that Trump mostly just licenses his name to these ventures for a payment and isn't affiliated with them otherwise. I don't think that he likely cares much what happens to the phone buyers or sellers. He's made his money either way.

EDIT: Yeah:

https://www.trump.com/lifestyle/trump-mobile

Trump Mobile, its products and services are not designed, developed, manufactured, distributed or sold by The Trump Organization or any of their respective affiliates or principals. T1 Mobile LLC uses the Trump name and trademark pursuant to the terms of a limited license agreement which may be terminated or revoked according to its terms.

It's some third-party fly-by-night organization doing the actual deal.

[–] MNByChoice@midwest.social 3 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

But will they?

[–] slemptastrophe@piefed.social 7 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

They might file a suit. They'll never see that money again though. Not until we have a functioning government again, but by then we'll have much bigger problems to solve than a bunch of idiots getting their money back.

[–] Steve@communick.news 2 points 7 hours ago

But it'll be a great show to watch

[–] Steve@communick.news 5 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

eh... 60-70% chance I'd guess.
So maybe probably?