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True Donald Trump devotees who put down their $100 deposits are still awaiting the chance to receive one of his family’s $499 golden smartphones for “real Americans”.
But in the meantime, perhaps you’d like to buy a refurbished Apple or Samsung phone from several years ago, for up to $225 more than you could get on Amazon?
That’s the astonishing deal now on offer from Trump Mobile, the patriotic phone vendor launched this June by the President’s family business, the Trump Organization (currently run by his eldest sons Don Jr and Eric Trump).
There’s still no update on the company’s forthcoming T1, a “proudly American” Android handset retailing for $499 that was forced to remove its “MADE IN THE USA” branding after experts argued that the facilities to manufacture such devices wholly within the States simply do not exist.
That hasn’t stopped the firm hawking refurbished Samsung S23s, S24s, and Apple iPhone 15s and 16s, which appear to have no specific Trump branding and are billed as “brought to life right here in the USA”.
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Trump Mobile’s suite of refurbished phones, as of Friday December 5 (Trump Mobile)
“The Apple iPhone15 Renewed isn’t just another smartphone — it’s a bold step toward wireless independence,” boasts the company’s online shop.
“Apple iPhone15 Renewed delivers top-tier performance, sleek design, and powerful features — all without the inflated price tag.”
That text is almost identical to the sales pitch for the T1 phone. It’s also flatly untrue, because Trump Mobile’s prices are considerably higher than those charged elsewhere.
As reported first by Android Authority in September, and more recently by The Verge, Apple frequently sells the iPhone 15 with a $100 discount at $529, compared to Trump Mobile’s $629.
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A non-Trump-branded iPhone enviously displays an image of its inevitable conqueror (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Refurbished iPhone 14s are not officially sold by Apple at the moment, but you can currently get one for $305 on Amazon or $327 at Best Buy. versus Trump Mobile’s $489. The 15 is currently $403 and $455 from the same retailers, respectively.
A refurbished US version of the Samsung Galaxy S23 is $259 on Amazon and as little as $249 at Best Buy, compared to Trump Mobile’s $369, while the S24 currently goes for $389.99 versus Trump Mobile’s $459.
The phones are sold with 128 GB of storage without upgrade options, and in only one color (black).
It’s unclear from Trump Mobile’s promotional material, which bears some patterns often considered typical of AI-generated writing, what justifies these markups.
Trump Mobile also sells a Trump-branded SIM-only phone plan, which Verge reporter Allison Johnson road-tested and found “fine, I guess”.
The Independent has asked Trump Mobile for comment.