I finally got my Trump phone

12 months, 16 days, 21 hours and 54 minutes after I first heard about Trump Mobile’s T1 Phone 8002 (gold), I’ve held one in my hands.

So, SeasideTrump’s phone calls have arrived. And yes, I mean it phones – We have three of them: We ordered two, paid for two, and received three, all of which were sent to the wrong address. You can’t beat service like that.

My phone came with a free Trump Mobile SIM card, although I never subscribed to the company’s mobile plan, including a basic A4 guide that was clearly printed on a standard printer. Inside the box, there’s a SIM tray, clear plastic, a 33W charger, and a gold and black USB-C cable that feels cheap. Then you get a second set of instructions, this time a small booklet that explains everything from initial setup to how to make a phone call or take a photo with the camera. I feel that this phone is not designed for professional shopping.

As for the phone itself, my first reaction was very difficult. And I mean that literally – the gold, plastic back panel has a slight sheen to it, and has already picked up dust and fingerprints in an hour or two. Also very encouraging, my phone has a small dent in one corner that was there before I took it out of the box.

The arrangement went well at first. It installed all my regular apps from my Google backup to go with the pre-installed Truth Social, says its February Android security update is all it needs, and unlike YouTuber Quinn Nelson My fingerprint sensor works fine. I live in the UK, and so far Trump’s phone doesn’t play well with my British SIM card – I can make calls fine, but it won’t connect to LTE or 5G. I need to see if I can fix this, or if Trump’s phone is for Americans only.

Either way, I’ll have a full review of the T1 Phone next week. Let me know in the comments what you want me to try.

Photography by Dominic Preston/The Verge

Do you have any inside information on Trump Mobile or Trump’s phone? Reach safely from your device to tips@theverge.comor our vision How you can help us page.