I Bought the Trump Phone

Snazzy Labs

1,798,955 views • 5 days ago

Video Summary

The video details the arduous and often comical journey of acquiring and reviewing the "Trump T1" smartphone. Initially priced at $500 and marketed as "Made in USA," the phone's launch was plagued by issues including incorrect email configurations, failed two-factor authentication, and a convoluted ordering process. Despite these hurdles, the phone eventually arrived, revealing a product that, while boasting a larger battery and an unlocked bootloader, suffers from a non-functional fingerprint sensor, inconsistent color finishes, and a questionable assembly quality. Interestingly, despite initial speculation, the phone is not a rebadged T-Mobile Rebel Pro 5G but rather a customized HTC U24 Pro.

One particularly striking aspect of the Trump T1's production is the "Proudly assembled in the USA" claim, juxtaposed with the visibly low-quality printing on its documentation and packaging, suggesting a superficial adherence to patriotic branding rather than genuine manufacturing prowess.

Short Highlights

The Trump T1 smartphone, marketed as "Made in USA" and priced at $500, faced significant ordering issues including incorrect email configurations and failed two-factor authentication.
Despite claims of US assembly, the phone's documentation was printed on basic printer paper with low-quality toner, and packaging displayed inconsistencies.
The device ultimately revealed itself to be a customized HTC U24 Pro, not a rebadged T-Mobile Rebel Pro 5G, with a larger 5,000 mAh battery and an unlocked bootloader.
Key hardware issues include a non-functional fingerprint sensor from the factory and inconsistent color finishes on the device's exterior.
The phone's operating system is a mostly stock Android, but it comes with pre-installed apps like True Social, and despite initial concerns, network traffic analysis showed no evidence of spying.

Key Details

The Complicated Purchase and Delivery of the Trump T1 [00:10]

The reviewer recounts a year-long wait and a $100 down payment for the Trump T1 smartphone, initially purchased for the sake of making a video.
The ordering process was fraught with technical difficulties, including emails landing in spam folders due to improper DMARC records and authentication issues.
Attempts to log in and reset passwords were hindered by a faulty two-factor authentication system that failed to deliver codes.
Customer service interaction revealed a requirement to activate a $47.45 monthly plan, adding to the overall cost and complexity.

"And like all great American sagas, well, it begins at the bottom of a Gmail spam folder."

Unboxing and Initial Impressions of the Trump T1 [08:01]

The phone's packaging was described as amateurish, with a torn label and a shipping label printed on inkjet paper.
A handwritten letter served as the mailing envelope for the SIM card, contrasting with typical corporate packaging.
The phone's documentation, including a quick start guide, was printed on printer paper with toner running low and pixelated graphics.
The box displayed an American flag with an inaccurate number of stripes (11 instead of 13) and a poorly proportioned star field.
The claim "Proudly assembled in the USA" is questioned due to the visibly low-quality printing and assembly of included components.

"This is printer paper. This is printer paper. And look at the toner. They're running out of ton."

Design and Hardware Analysis of the Trump T1 [11:06]

The phone's exterior exhibits inconsistent color finishes, with different shades of yellow and orange across various components, making it aesthetically unappealing.
A fingerprint was present on the back of the phone before it was touched, raising questions about its pre-production handling.
The included protective case had the T1 logo on the bag, not the case itself, and the case material was noted as plastic that would likely scratch easily.
The included USB-C to USB-C cable was noted as inflexible and made of nylon.
The device features a custom splash screen, animated with a waving flag, and a basic user manual designed for new smartphone users.

"The back casing is like this reflective yellow. And then this anodized aluminum is just straight up not gold. No, it's not even really yellow. It's like orangey. It's ugly."

Functionality and Performance of the Trump T1 [14:05]

The display resolution and refresh rate are noted as good, with a high refresh rate display that surpasses that of an iPhone 17e used for comparison.
The fingerprint sensor was found to be broken from the factory, immediately erroring out upon setup.
Pre-installed applications include True Social, and the system updates were last checked on February 5th.
Despite the broken fingerprint sensor, the bootloader can be easily unlocked, allowing for custom ROMs like CyanogenMod.
The phone's operating system is described as a "bone stock" Android with not much customization, leading to a quick feel.

"I think the fingerprint sensor is broken from the factory."

Internal Hardware and Comparison to HTC U24 Pro [18:01]

The Trump T1 features a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, specs that are considered better than initially expected.
It boasts a 5,000 mAh battery and a 1080x2436 display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
A distinctive feature is the flashing green status LED, which is considered a great, albeit rare, feature on modern Android phones.
Contrary to earlier speculation, the Trump T1 is not a rebadged T-Mobile Rebel Pro 5G but shares significant similarities with the HTC U24 Pro.
The two phones share the same SoC, memory, and storage, but the Trump T1 has a larger battery (5,000 mAh vs. 4,600 mAh) and slower charging (30W vs. 60W).

"This has got 8 gigs of memory. The Trump phone's got 12. This has got a a Snapdragon 6 Gen1 and this is a 7 Gen 3."

Teardown and Analysis of Internal Components [22:13]

The teardown confirms that the Trump T1 and HTC U24 Pro share the same board layout and components, with the primary differences being the battery and some minor internal part placements.
The Trump T1 has a larger 5,000 mAh battery compared to the HTC's 4,600 mAh battery, but the HTC supports faster 60W charging.
The fingerprint sensor's physical component appears intact, suggesting the issue is likely software-related, possibly with the secure enclave.
Network traffic analysis revealed no evidence of the phone spying, with all connections appearing to be normal Android services and app-related traffic.
The reviewer concludes that the Trump T1 is not a great deal at $500, especially when compared to other $500 phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, which offer superior performance and features.