Trump Mobile, the wireless venture backed by the Trump Organization, has postponed delivery of its long-promised gold-colored T1 smartphone beyond the end of the year, blaming the latest U.S. government shutdown for the delay. The move extends a months-long slide in its launch timeline and underscores the operational challenges of turning a political brand into a mass-market hardware business.
Customer service representatives for Trump Mobile told Fortune the shutdown had disrupted shipments of the $499 device, and said while the device would not be shipped this month, “we’ve been told mid to late January.” The company has not publicly provided a revised delivery date.
