The claim that Trump Mobile has secured nearly 600,000 preorders for its new phone has gained traction online, but substantial evidence to support this figure remains elusive. As discussions about the device continue, questions arise regarding the authenticity of its reported sales figures, particularly as they surface amidst ongoing scrutiny of the company’s practices.
Despite the claim suggesting a potential $60 million revenue from deposits alone, the figure appears to stem from a viral social media post rather than credible reporting. The assertion gained momentum just before an open letter signed by Senator Elizabeth Warren and other Democrats, urging the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Trump Mobile for alleged “false advertising and deceptive practices.”
Many commentators express skepticism about the reported preorders. One individual noted, “I can’t imagine a lot of folks were dumb enough to fall for this.” Yet, the figure indicating over half a million preorders implies that a significant number might have engaged with the offer.
The origin of the 600,000 preorder figure traces back to a post on the platform X, shared by a meme account known as Bricktop_NAFO. This account claimed that “590,000 idiots purchased Trump’s Mobile phone,” which seems to be the earliest mention of a specific number. However, the timeline of how this information proliferated is concerning.
The claim was echoed in a post shared by the press office of California Governor Gavin Newsom, which cited a Grok summary. That summary referenced various reliable sources, including Fortune, NPR, and The Guardian, but a review of these publications revealed no mention of the preorder numbers.
A deeper investigation led to the Associated Press, which had recently reported on Trump Mobile’s delays but made no claims regarding specific preorder figures. Lauren Easton, the VP of corporate communications for AP, confirmed that the agency’s original stories did not contain such a number.
Further inquiry into the stories that cited the AP revealed a typo in one case, where the figure was incorrectly attributed to the news agency. The Hindustan Times reported a figure of 590,000, which was traced back to a more transparent source, namely a viral post from Bricktop_NAFO. This post, which has garnered significant attention, is now viewed as the origin of the misinformation.
The impact of this one tweet is noteworthy. It has led to numerous reposts and articles, including coverage on sites like MSN.com and Phone Arena, now presenting the number as a fact. Even advanced chatbots such as Gemini and ChatGPT erroneously corroborated the preorder numbers.
As for the actual number of preorders for the Trump Mobile phone, the company has not disclosed any figures. Attempts to reach the Trump Mobile press office for clarification have gone unanswered.
This situation underscores the challenges of discerning fact from fiction in today’s media landscape. With misinformation spreading rapidly across social platforms and often being recirculated by reputable sources, the need for accurate reporting and verification is more critical than ever.
For those with insights or information regarding Trump Mobile or the Trump phone, secure communication can be initiated via [email protected].
