Cheap China model? Trump's "Made in USA" smartphone causes mockery online

A smartphone in gold and a not-so-cheap tariff: Trump's sons present a product that is supposed to have been developed and manufactured in the USA. But is it more likely to be a cheap Chinese model?

The family of US President Donald Trump is entering the mobile phone market with its name. The president's sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have announced that they will soon be selling their own cell phone contract, "Trump Mobile", and a smartphone, "T1". The device is said to have been developed and manufactured in the USA.

The monthly tariff ("The 47 Plan") is said to amount to 47.45 US dollars (around 39 francs) - presumably a reference to Donald Trump as the 47th and 45th President of the United States. The smartphone is said to cost 499 dollars (around 400 francs) and comes in a color typical of the family: Gold.

No production facilities and no know-how

A big mystery for experts, however, is still what the T1 smartphone is all about. After all, there are currently virtually no devices that are manufactured in the USA. Simply because there are neither the production facilities nor the know-how, writes "Der Standard".

For industry experts, it is clear that this is a Chinese smartphone template packed into a new housing. There are several manufacturers who offer corresponding services.

The online mockery was not long in coming. Resourceful users quickly identified the Wingtech REVVL 7 Pro 5G model, which has almost identical hardware features.

The entry into the mobile phone business comes at a time when Trump's government is in customs negotiations with China - among other things with regard to export controls and supply chains for semiconductors and other key technologies that are essential for the manufacture of smartphones.

In speeches, the President repeatedly emphasizes that products must be manufactured in the USA again. But this is probably not possible for smartphones.

With material from dpa.