In its most recent endeavor to capitalize on the name of the United States president, Donald Trump’s family business is introducing a new phone service that bears the Trump name.

The Trump Organization, which is managed by his sons, announced that it intended to offer a gold-colored, “built in the United States” smartphone for $499 (£367.50) and mobile phone service for a monthly charge of $47.45.

The name alludes to their father’s tenure as the 47th and 45th president of the United States.
The most recent endeavor was perceived by ethics watchdogs as an additional avenue for potential corruption and conflicts of interest.

Additionally, a supply chain expert has informed the BBC that the production of such a phone in the United States from entirely American components would be “virtually impossible.”

“It is incredible that the Trump family has devised yet another method for President Trump to personally profit while in office,” stated Meghan Faulkner, communications director for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).

According to Trump, his business interests have been transferred to a trust that is overseen by his offspring. The White House has maintained that he acts in the best interest of all Americans.

However, Ms. Faulkner stated that the most recent endeavor raised familiar concerns, such as whether the new business will attract consumers from individuals who are seeking to influence Trump and how the president will develop policies and regulations for an industry in which his family now has a business interest.

The Trump Organization’s assertion that its handsets are “built in the United States” has been met with skepticism by technology experts, who contend that it is likely not feasible to produce smartphones from the ground up in the United States at this time.

“They do not possess a functioning prototype.” Professor Tinglong Dai, who instructs operations management at Johns Hopkins’ Carey Business School, expressed his conviction that the possibility is exceedingly remote.

“A miracle would be required.” Economies of magnitude would be necessary. Prof. Dai further stated that a sustainable demand for this type of product would be necessary.

The decision is made in response to Trump’s efforts to exert pressure on Apple CEO Tim Cook to produce iPhones that are marketed to American consumers in the United States.

The president issued a threat last month to impose a minimum import tax of 25% on iPhones that are not produced in the United States.

Leo Gebbie, an analyst at CCS Insight, observed that the United States currently lacks the necessary high-tech supply chain for smartphone assembly, particularly in order to meet the August release date, as the Trump Organization has stated.

“However, it is feasible that the device could be assembled in the United States using components that are imported from abroad.” Mr. Gebbie suggested that this may be the most probable consequence, which would enable the T1 to assert American sovereignty.

The announcement was lacking in terms of specifics, such as the identity of the business partner who will operate the service and is licensing the name.

The Trump Organization did not immediately respond to inquiries from the BBC regarding its business associate, potential ethical concerns, and a request for information regarding its “built in the United States” claim.

It stated in its announcement that “hard-working Americans deserve a wireless service that is affordable, reflects their values, and delivers reliable quality they can count on.”

It proposed a policy of “discounted” international communications to families whose members are serving in the military outside the United States.

The announcement stated that the mobile service would have customer support personnel located in the United States to address inquiries, in addition to the gold-colored phone, which is currently available for pre-order.

Trump’s net worth has increased by over twofold.

The agreement is a continuation of a business strategy that Trump adopted prior to his election, in which he entered into agreements to license his name to golf course operators and hoteliers in exchange for royalties and fees.

However, the potential for profiting from his reputation has increased significantly since his election to the legislature a decade ago.

In his most recent financial disclosure, Trump disclosed that he earned over $600 million last year, which included millions from the sale of items such as Trump-branded fragrances, timepieces, and bibles.

In March, Forbes estimated that his net worth was $5.1 billion, which was more than double the amount it was a year prior.

According to the report, the president’s “diehard following” is partially responsible for the surge, as it has been credited with supporting the value of Trump’s social media company, which operates the Truth Social platform.

This platform accounted for approximately half of Trump’s fortune last year.

According to a post by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Threads, the microblogging platform, is currently conducting spoiler text testing.

Words (or images) that are grayed out in a post are referred to as spoiler text. They are only visible if you manually click on them.

As the name implies, spoiler text is frequently employed on platforms such as Reddit or Discord to facilitate the exchange of information regarding new movies, television programs, or books without inadvertently disclosing plot points and twists to individuals who are not yet engaged.

This is a beneficial enhancement to the user experience, but it also benefits Meta by fostering more discussions about current culture without the concern of offending others.

Meta stated in a press release that the app’s expanding community of entertainment and pop culture devotees was evident in the consistent trending of popular shows such as ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘The White Lotus’ on Threads during their respective seasons.

Spoiler text may also prove advantageous in other scenarios, such as the obfuscation of text or images that are not infringing but may still be perceived as unappealing by certain users. (Observing my acquaintance, who posts #BruiseWatch updates following their Frisbee contests.)

Spoiler text/images have not yet been implemented for all users, as they are presently under testing.
Text or images can be designated as spoilers by highlighting them prior to posting and then selecting “mark spoiler” from the resulting menu for those who possess the capability.

According to reports, the relationship between Microsoft and OpenAI is becoming increasingly strained.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the relationship between OpenAI and Microsoft may be close to an inflection point.

OpenAI executives have contemplated publicly accusing Microsoft of anticompetitive behavior throughout their partnership, according to the report, which cites anonymous sources.

The executives of OpenAI also contemplated whether to request a federal regulatory evaluation of their contract with Microsoft.

OpenAI is endeavoring to reduce Microsoft’s control over its intellectual property and computing resources; however, the startup must also obtain Microsoft’s consent to finalize its transition to a for-profit entity.

The two organizations are currently engaged in a dispute regarding OpenAI’s $3 billion acquisition of Windsurf, an AI coding startup.

According to the report, OpenAI is opposed to Microsoft acquiring Windsurf’s intellectual property, as it could potentially improve the cloud provider’s own AI coding tool, GitHub Copilot.

Although Microsoft was once a significant factor in the acceleration of OpenAI’s growth, the relationship between the two organizations has become increasingly strained.
OpenAI has reportedly endeavored to decrease its dependence on Microsoft for cloud services in recent months.