(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
Trump's T1 phone says it's "proudly American" with "American values" - but it won't be US made [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-06-26
If you want an American-made cell phone, you have one option that qualifies for a "Made in the USA" stamp from the FTC — the Liberty phone . It is a $1,999 version of Purism's Made-in-China Librem 5 , which retails for $799. That seems a steep premium to pay. But at least the damn thing exists and is domestically manufactured.
On the other hand, you could sign up for the Trump Mobile flagship phone, the T1 Phone 8002 (gold version). But don't hold your breath. Trump initially promised he would ship it in September. But it is now advertised as "available later this year."
That is not Trump's only change to the sales pitch. Originally, the website informed prospective buyers, in a screaming banner, that the T1 is "MADE IN THE USA." Now, the website has scrubbed that bold claim and replaced it with jingoistic slogans designed to bamboozle the average MAGA into believing there is something patriotic about a second-rate device, made abroad, and marketed by a conman.
In fairness, as Trump has not announced where the non-existent phone will be manufactured (if it ever is), it is still technically possible that it will be made in the US. But if that's the way someone wants to bet, I'll gladly take their money.
Until Trump packs the FTC with eager toadies, he cannot claim something is made in the US without it actually being made in the US. But that doesn't mean the word "American" gets a break. History has shown that if you want a slow-witted conservative (redundant?) to fork over their hard-earned cash, nothing beats a spot of flag waving to speed the process. Trump knows this. So, the phone's marketing still drips with appeals to the old red, white, and blue.
The T1's new slogan is "Premium Performance. Proudly American." The website says the phone is "designed with American values in mind" and that there are "American hands behind every device." And the first "Key Feature" is "American-Proud Design."
That is what is known in the advertising business as ' puffery ' — statements that are not subject to empirical refutation. It's why Walmart says they have "everyday low prices" instead of saying they have "the lowest prices." The first is a matter of opinion. The second is either true or it isn't. And Walmart is not always the lowest priced.
Companies, therefore, often refrain from making measurable statements in their advertising. In 2014, Red Bull lost a $13 million suit when it couldn't prove its claim that its product "improved concentration and reaction speeds in consumers."
On the other hand, Starbucks defeated a lawsuit that claimed the coffee chain's slogan, "The Best Coffee for the Best You," was misleading because the company used pesticides in its stores. The court ruled there is no legal definition of "best." And the average consumer should know statements like that are pure advertising BS.
Looking at Trump's claims, I think you could argue that "American values" and "American-proud design" are meaningless puffery. However, "Proudly American" could be an actionable statement. And "American hands behind every device" is a factual lie.
Trump should be fine. To sue, a claimant must prove they have been harmed. However, the only people dumb enough to fall for this BS are MAGAs. And I doubt they will be lining up to sue their boy. In addition, the FTC is unlikely to take action under this administration.
Regardless, why would anyone buy a phone from a politician? If Barack Obama started pushing a cell phone, I wouldn't buy it. I may have voted for the guy twice, but it wasn't because I thought he was an expert on making consumer tech.
But then again, conservative voters have consistently proved to be bad at picking good options.
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/6/26/2330295/-Trump-s-T1-phone-says-it-s-proudly-American-with-American-values-but-it-won-t-be-US-made?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web
Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/
