At a Glance
- An unverified Facebook post claims 600,000 people have pre-ordered the unreleased T1 phone from Trump Mobile
- The figure has been repeated by X’s Grok AI and even California Governor Gavin Newsom’s press office
- No evidence supports the number; the company has not released official data
- Why it matters: Consumers and regulators are flying blind as Democratic lawmakers ask the FTC to investigate possible bait-and-switch tactics
The never-ending saga of Trump Mobile’s promised gold-colored T1 phone has a new twist: a 600,000-unit preorder claim that no one can verify. The number surfaced in a December Facebook post, according to reporting by The Verge, and has since ricocheted across social media and even into official communications.
Despite the eye-catching total, the company has published no audited figures. The Verge notes that the post is the only known source for the statistic, yet it has been amplified by X’s Grok AI chatbot and by Governor Gavin Newsom’s press team. The repetition has given the unconfirmed digits an air of legitimacy they have not earned.
The timing is notable. This week, Democratic lawmakers pressed the Federal Trade Commission to examine Trump Mobile for alleged bait-and-switch tactics. Central to their complaint is the firm’s abandoned pledge to manufacture the T1 in the United States. News Of Fort Worth‘s review of public documents shows no evidence that an American-made phone with the T1’s described specifications is technically feasible.
Customers have been able to reserve the device since June for a $100 deposit, yet no shipping date has been announced and no working units have been shown to the press. The company’s website now redirects visitors to a store selling refurbished iPhones and Samsung Galaxy models, a pivot that has done nothing to clarify the fate of earlier T1 deposits.
Where the number came from
- A single Facebook post in December appears to be the origin
- The post was picked up by Grok AI and repeated by Governor Newsom’s office
- No financial filings, third-party auditors, or carrier partners have corroborated the claim
Regulatory pressure mounts
Lawmakers cite two main issues:
- Manufacturing claims – Promises of U.S. assembly were quietly dropped
- Preorder transparency – No mechanism exists to confirm how many deposits have been collected or whether refunds are available
The FTC has not opened a formal investigation, and the company has not responded to media inquiries about preorder totals or production timelines.
Key takeaways
- The 600,000-preorder figure is unverified and traceable only to a social-media post
- Trump Mobile has shipped no T1 units and has not announced a manufacturing partner
- Democratic legislators want the FTC to probe possible deceptive practices
- Consumers still have no official word on when, or if, the gold-colored phone will materialize
