Trump Tower, Trump Plaza… Now, Trump Phone?

US President Donald Trump’s name is attached to many things. For example, there is the Trump Tower and the Trump Plaza, and at one point, there was the Trump Taj Mahal casino located in Atlantic City. But now, it looks like Trump wants his name front and center on your mobile phone.

According to a Bloomberg report, DTTM Operations, which manages Trump’s trademarks, has filed new applications with the USPTO. These are trademark filings for the names “TRUMP” and “T1” related to mobile phones and a wireless service. If these filings are any indication, Trump could launch his own carrier service that could compete with Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.

Now, sometimes companies file for patents and trademarks as a way to protect their interests. However, in this case, there is a good chance Trump’s wireless service is the real deal. This is because the trademarks were filed on an “intent-to-use” basis. This means that there is a genuine intention actually to use the trademark, as opposed to simply protecting a name or intellectual property.

The Trump Organization has not officially responded to Bloomberg’s request for comment, so it remains to be seen when this mobile service or mobile phone could launch.

Made in America phones?

The smartphone space is incredibly competitive right now. It is difficult for new players to break into the market. Especially with Chinese brands like Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi offering affordable phones as alternatives to the flagship phones from Apple and Samsung.

However, Trump-branded phones could have their appeal. Trump has encouraged phone makers like Apple to build their iPhones in the US. However, Apple has stated several times in the past that bringing manufacturing to the US isn’t possible. At least not in the immediate future.

We imagine that if Trump were to launch his own phones, he could approach it with a “Made in America” angle. It would also mark a huge shift from Trump’s current business empire, which typically focuses on real estate and hotels. In any case, we’ll have to wait and see how this plays out. But would you be interested in buying a Trump-branded phone or sign up for a Trump carrier service?