IN THE near past, it was kidnapping the Venezuelan president. Then it was attempting to murder the whole family of Iranian president Ali Khamenei.
Few could predict the next move of the American president who is single-handedly turning geopolitics into a massive reality TV show.
So it comes as little surprise for everyone when the orange-haired president decided to launch his very own mobile phone product, the Trump Mobile’s T1 Phone.
Where Trump is concerned, expect a good deal of controversy to follow. The truth in this statement is quickly proven by media portal phonearena.com, published a news piece about its similarities with another smartphone which is already on the market.
When the T1 Phone was first unveiled, observers speculated about its origins, particularly after its design appeared to resemble the Revvl 7 Pro.
Following a later redesign, attention shifted to the HTC U24 Pro, with many noting striking visual similarities. A recent investigation has now provided stronger evidence that the connection runs much deeper.
According to a teardown conducted by iFixit, the internal architecture of the Trump T1 Phone closely mirrors that of the HTC U24 Pro, which debuted in 2024.
The findings indicate that the two devices are so alike that several components can be swapped between them without any compatibility issues.
To test the theory, iFixit carried out CT scans, dismantled both smartphones and closely examined their display assemblies.
In one experiment, the team installed the HTC U24 Pro’s mainboard into the Trump T1 Phone.
The hybrid device functioned normally, suggesting that the two handsets are effectively the same beneath the exterior.
Only a handful of minor physical differences were identified. These include a slightly repositioned camera flash and a differently shaped speaker grille. However, neither modification appears to affect the phones’ functionality.
Internally, the devices also feature nearly identical hardware specifications.
The most notable hardware difference is found in the battery. The Trump-branded handset contains a 19.35Wh battery manufactured in the Philippines and supports charging speeds of up to 30W.
By comparison, the HTC U24 Pro houses a smaller 17.23Wh battery produced in China but offers faster 60W charging capability.
The teardown also casts doubt on earlier claims that the T1 Phone was manufactured in the United States.
Trump Mobile has since revised its messaging, stating that the device is assembled in America, although the company has not provided detailed clarification on what that process entails.
Aside from cosmetic touches such as the gold finish and an American flag graphic on the rear panel — notably featuring 11 stripes rather than the traditional 13 — there appears to be little evidence that the phone’s design was significantly shaped by American development teams.
Then again, maybe the T1 Phone perfectly reflects modern politics. The packaging is loud, the branding is relentless, the promises are ambitious and the fact-checking comes later.
At this point, all that’s missing is a presidential executive order declaring the battery bigger than everyone else’s. —June 14, 2026
Main image: iStock
