'Harder than they thought': Trump's gold-plated phone delayed again in ironic blow

The gold-plated phones announced by Donald Trump last year have been hit with an ironic delay which may see the project scrapped entirely.

Trump previously announced the cheaper alternative to Apple's iPhone, and manufacturers suggested the Trump Phone would be ready for launch in September 2025. But almost four months on from the projected release date of the phone and there has been little update on its release ever since.

The Trump Organization had launched a mobile phone network in June 2025 and followed this up with the announcement for a golden phone with a $500 price tag. It was meant as a jab at Apple's pricier iPhone, which at the time was on store shelves for anywhere between $800 and $1,200.

But making the phone so cheaply to counter Apple and "in the United States for customers who expect the best" has proven challenging. Experts believe the desire to manufacture the phone in the US has greatly hindered the cost effectiveness of the project.

International Data Corp. analyst Francisco Jeronimo, speaking to NPR, has suggested the team may have changed tact as they find it is "harder to build a phone than they thought" at the outset.

He said, "We have always been quite skeptical about this phone. They are probably finding that it is harder to build a phone than they thought it would be. Let's see if this thing comes to life or not."

Though the Trump Organization is yet to start selling phones of their own, they do sell refurbished iPhones and Samsung Galaxy models. Prices for the refurbished phones range from $370 to $630. Jeronimo added: "Maybe they changed their strategy and figured out they are better off just selling refurbished phones."

Further delays were reported last week, with CBS News confirming the Trump Phone's projected shipping date at the end of January had been pushed back.

The Trump Organization promised the $499 phones would be available in August when the service was first launched in 2025.