Technologies

The Trump Phone Will Cost You $499. Here’s What You Get and What We Don’t Know Yet

The president’s son Eric says the phone will be made in the US «eventually.»

The Trump Organization now has a wireless business, including a mobile phone plan and a $499 gold-hued phone called the T1.

On Monday, Donald Trump Jr., eldest son of US President Donald Trump, announced a new wireless venture centered on a service called Trump Mobile. According to the venture’s website, a wireless plan is available for $47.45 a month with unlimited talk, text and data and no long-term contract. The price of the service is a callout to Donald Trump’s two terms as president: 47 for his current presidency and 45 for his previous one, from 2017 to 2021. Those interested can use their own phone and number.

The Trump family licensed its name to the service. Its phone is only available for Android users, not users of Apple iPhones.

Trump Mobile is offering that $499 phone, called the T1, for preorder ahead of planned availability in September. It comes a with a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen and runs the Android 15 operating system. The company says the service will run using the networks of the three major US wireless carriers: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

The idea for a wireless service promoted around a celebrity or a brand may be an emerging trend. Just a week before the Trump Organization announcement, the popular SmartLess podcast launched its own service. The podcast is hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes.

Will phone be made in US or elsewhere?

In a press release for the service and new phone, the Trump Organization says it will be offering customer support through call centers based in the US. The T1 phone is described as «designed and built in the United States.»

The press release doesn’t offer any additional details about sourcing for the phone’s manufacturing, but given supply chain realities, it’s likely that at least some components in the phone would come from another country, such as China. The Trump administration has been focused on having more manufacturing take place in the US, including pushing Apple to build iPhones here.

Commentary: Trump Mobile and the T1 Phone Don’t Make Any Sense, Even for Trump Fans

Francisco Jeronimo, vice president at International Data Corp., told CNBC on Tuesday that the phone could not be assembled or completely manufactured in the US «That is completely impossible,» he said.

Eric Trump, the president’s younger son, said on Tuesday that the company will build phones in the US, but not right away.

«Eventually all the phones can be built in the United States of America,» he said in an interview cited by Wired magazine.

President Trump has said he will impose a 25% tariff on all smartphones not made in the US, which would seem to include his own family’s proposed phone.

In addition to voice and data service, the Trump Mobile plan includes 24/7 roadside assistance through Drive America, telehealth and mental health support services, no credit check and free international calling to 100 countries, «including many with American military bases to help honor the families who are bravely serving in our military abroad.»

Some details are confusing

CNET senior editor Mike Sorrentino noted that the site for the Trump phone went live with numerous errors and omissions.

It does not list a processor, even under a headline marked «processor.» The storage and memory specs are mixed up, listing the RAM as 12GB of storage and the memory as 256GB of internal storage. The site mentions a «punch-hole AMOLED display,» which Sorrentino notes does not exist, using the term to refer to the space for the front-facing camera. Two separate sizes are given for the phone display. The site references a «5,000mAh long life camera» but appears to mean the battery. The battery-camera confusion has been corrected.

The press release for the phone says it will be released in August, but the website says September.

Gulf of Mexico label on map

The Trump Mobile site launched with a map showing its coverage area, but that map was pulled after people online noticed that the map used the name Gulf of Mexico for the body of water Trump calls the Gulf of America.

A Reuters review of the website’s code shows Trump Mobile appears to have used T-Mobile’s network data for its coverage map. The telecom operator’s coverage map labels the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico.

Trump announced the Gulf of America name change on his Inauguration Day in January, also changing the name of the Alaskan mountain Denali to Mount McKinley. The Associated Press has said it will not use the Gulf of America name for the body of water.

A phone with a telehealth plan?

The press release promises the phone plans comes with «telehealth services, including virtual medical care, mental health support, and easy ordering and delivery for prescription medications.»

Don Hendrickson, a spokesperson for Trump Mobile, confirmed that at the launch, saying the telehealth services were all included in the plan. As The New York Times notes, it’s not clear how a $47-a-month phone plan could afford to cover remote doctor visits and medication.

The Trump Mobile site says the telehealth program will require users to sign up with third-party provider, Doctegrity.

Late to the celebrity phone trend

The new offerings from Trump Mobile may receive a lot of publicity due to the president’s high profile and social media presence, but one wireless executive said they’re unlikely to create a major disruption for other wireless carriers.

«The US wireless market is over $300 billion a year, and it is not a zero-sum game. New entrants like Trump Mobile or SmartLess typically operate as Mobile Virtual Network Operators using infrastructure from the big three,» said US Mobile CEO Ahmed Khattak. Khattak’s company has served a million wireless customers and has ranked high among the wireless phone plans CNET has rated.

«They might carve out a niche based on branding or audience loyalty, but that does not fundamentally change the economics or scale advantages of larger MVNOs or the big three carriers,» he says.

Khattak doesn’t believe the new Trump endeavor is a conflict of interest or presents a regulatory conflict because the president has the authority to appoint FCC commissioners.

«The FCC is an independent agency,» he says. «Commissioners are appointed by the president but confirmed by the Senate, and the FCC does not get involved in MVNO business agreements or commercial launches.»

The US Mobile CEO also doesn’t believe that the new company represents a new wave of celebrity wireless endorsements.

«If anything, that era is behind us,» he says. «Mint Mobile is often seen as a Ryan Reynolds story, but the reality is that its parent company, Ultra Mobile, was already the fastest-growing private company in America long before he joined.»

Khattak added: «Most celebrity MVNOs do not last because wireless is an operationally intense business with tight margins. This is not the next celebrity tequila or podcast trend.»

From Trump phones to Trump Instant Pots, snow globes

The president did not appear for the Monday announcement at New York’s Trump Tower; his sons headed up publicity for the unveiling.

The Trump Organization is a holding company for the president’s business interests. According to Reuters, the president has reported $600 million worth of income from various deals and projects, including crypto coins, a sector of business his administration has been bullish on.

Recently, the news site Semafor reported that kitchen appliance company Instant Pot will offer a «45/47 Collaboration,» marking items with those numbers and the president’s «Make America Great Again» slogan. Semafor also reported that tableware and china company Lenox has proposed a line of Trump-related product, including snow glboes and dinnerware with the president’s face.

Technologies

JetBlue Is Slashing Flights and Cutting Costs. Here’s What Travelers Should Know

JetBlue is pulling back on routes to several US states and major metropolitan cities.

JetBlue is tightening its belt: The airline on Tuesday announced a round of cost-cutting measures, including fewer routes and reduced spending.

JetBlue says it’s scaling back its flight schedule and reducing services to several US states and major metropolitan airports, such as John F. Kennedy International Airport. That means fewer options for travelers in and out of cities where the airline had been aggressively expanding, such as New York, Boston and Fort Lauderdale. The company is also trimming overhead by combining some leadership roles and slowing hiring as it looks to get back on firmer financial ground after a tough year marked by higher costs and a failed merger with Spirit Airlines.

Just last month, JetBlue announced a partnership with United Airlines to strengthen its position in the market, enhance its loyalty program for travelers and expand its flight network. This is just one more step in JetBlue’s plan to stay competitive as domestic travel slows down.

JetBlue didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read more: Southwest Airlines Says You Can’t Use Portable Chargers Inside Your Bags

What this means for travelers

So, what does this mean for you? If you’ve booked a JetBlue flight for later this year, or were hoping to score a last-minute deal, you may find fewer seats available or face longer layovers caused by reduced route frequency. JetBlue’s popular Mint business class and no-frills Blue Basic fares aren’t going away completely but travelers could see tighter availability and less flexibility as the airline prioritizes its most profitable routes.

Since launching its JetForward turnaround plan last year, JetBlue has pulled out of 15 cities and cut more than 50 routes. Among the notable exits are major markets such as Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Bogotá, Colombia, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).

JetBlue cut numerous routes in 2024, such as Los Angeles to Miami and New York/JFK to Detroit but it has also pulled out of the following airports entirely:

Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) in California
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) in California
Tallahassee International Airport (TLH) in Florida
Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP) in Minnesota
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina
San Antonio International Airport (SAT) in Texas
Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport (PTP) in Guadeloupe, France

What JetBlue will cut next is not yet clear.

The company says it’s making these changes to stay competitive long term. But for everyday travelers, it could mean fewer nonstop options and a trickier time finding budget-friendly flights, especially during holiday seasons and peak travel windows.

If you’re flying JetBlue in the coming months, double-check your reservation details and keep an eye out for schedule changes. And if your go-to airport is one JetBlue is pulling back from, it may be time to start comparison shopping with other carriers.

For more travel-related articles, explore these travel essentials you need for every vacation and then take a look at this travel checklist. You should also read about the new Real ID requirement for getting through airport security.

Technologies

Prime Day 2025: Early Deals Have Already Started, but Could Tariffs Cut Into the Savings?

Amazon’s big annual sale for Prime members is July 8-11, but price hikes on imported goods could hit during the event. Where to look for deals now.

Amazon Prime Day, the mega retailer’s summer shopping event, is set for July 8-11 this year — doubling in size from two to four days. Exclusive to Prime members, it offers some of the best Amazon deals of the year, but looming price hikes due to tariffs could impact how much of a savings shoppers can expect.

Amazon launched Prime Day back in 2015, and savvy shoppers have eagerly anticipated this annual event ever since. But this year, the event could overlap with the resumption of President Donald Trump’s «reciprocal tariffs.» He announced the tariffs in April, quickly putting them on a 90-day pause. But the expiration date is July 9 — right in the middle of the Prime Day sales event.

Countries could face double-digit tariff hikes if they don’t reach an agreement by the deadline. Companies would likely pass through additional costs associated with tariffs to consumers — meaning we could pay more for everything, including electronics.

Most imported products for Prime Day will likely already be in the US and shouldn’t be subject to newly imposed tariffs, but there could be exceptions, according to Timothy Meyer, Richard Allen/Cravath distinguished professor in international business law, Duke University School of Law.

«If for some reason the goods have not already been imported, then they could be affected by any tariffs,» he said. «Sellers could not pass on the price of the tariffs after the consumer has purchased the goods, but it is possible that sellers might raise their prices during the sale.»

Our CNET Deals team will track all the best deals throughout the event so you can score the lowest prices. This will help you navigate the sale and stay ahead of any tariff-based price rises.

Read more: Don’t Wait: Score an Instant $200 Amazon Gift Card Ahead of Prime Day With This Card

How could tariffs affect Prime Day deals?

Prices on everything, including appliances, are expected to rise as a result of Trump’s sweeping tariffs, which he originally announced on April 2. He quickly followed with a 90-day pause for most of the tariffs, leaving a 10% baseline tariff for goods imported from most countries. Trump recently announced a trade deal with China that put a total tariff of 55% in place — although 25% of that was put in place during his first term.

The administration has since said that it’s in the process of making deals with many countries to ease tariffs, but the deadline is quickly approaching and could impact some products during the Prime Day shopping event. If retailers pass along the full cost of the tariffs, it could mean we’ll be paying a lot more for products manufactured in other countries.

After launching the original Prime Day in 2015, the retailer has expanded the number of its sales events, including a Big Spring Sale in March and Prime Big Deal Days in October. Last year’s Prime Day sale took place July 16-17.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for June 18, #268

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 268, for June 18.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition features a killer purple category. How good are you at anagrams? Think baseball team names, and see where you can go with that. Read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Not North

Green group hint: College competitions

Blue group hint: Soccer stars

Purple group hint: Mixed-up baseball teams