A new teardown test shows that the internal hardware of the Trump Mobile T1 smartphone is nearly identical to the HTC U24 Pro released in 2024. YouTuber Zack Nelson, operator of the JerryRigEverything channel, disassembled the device and discovered that both handsets share almost the exact same internal layout and parts. The components match so closely that their motherboards can be swapped and both phones will still operate. This finding arrives as the cost of the Trump Mobile T1 has climbed from an initial announcement price of $499 up to $749.
Trump Phone Shares Hardware With Older HTC
Trump Mobile first revealed the T1 in June 2025, and the device hit the market in 2026 following multiple modifications to its design and specifications. Even with its increased cost, the handset uses hardware comparable to the HTC U24 Pro that debuted two years prior. The Trump Mobile T1 comes equipped with a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen featuring a 120Hz refresh rate and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor. It also packs 512GB of internal storage alongside a 5,000mAh battery. For taking pictures, the phone has a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultrawide camera, and a 50MP telephoto camera providing 2x optical zoom. Selfies and video calls are managed by a 50MP front-facing camera. These specifications line up closely with the HTC U24 Pro.
Teardown Confirms Interchangeable Motherboards
While taking apart the device, Nelson popped off the back panel of the Trump Mobile T1 to inspect its internal parts. He observed that the layout of the motherboard, cooling system, cameras, and other elements closely mirrored the HTC U24 Pro. To check the exact degree of similarity, he traded their motherboards. Both phones kept working after the swap, proving they share a matching internal architecture. A prior examination by repair site iFixit arrived at similar results. That teardown also noted a few small differences between the models, such as their batteries and specific internal parts. The Trump Mobile T1 features a bigger 5,000mAh battery than the 4,600mAh unit found in the HTC U24 Pro, though the T1 only supports slower 30W charging.
Trump Phone Survives Durability Test
Nelson additionally put the Trump Mobile T1 through his standard durability evaluations. The screen of the smartphone picked up scratches at level six on the Mohs hardness scale, with more severe grooves showing at level seven. Nevertheless, the unit passed the bend test without snapping. The examination also pointed out the gold-colored frame and back of the phone, setting it apart visually from the HTC U24 Pro. One more odd feature was the American flag pattern on the back cover, which seems to feature 11 stripes rather than the standard 13.
Price Increased From $499 to $749
When Trump Mobile first debuted the T1 in June 2025, the device was priced at $499. Yet the price has since risen to $749, despite keeping specifications comparable to a mid-range phone from 2024. The most recent teardown verifies that the T1 uses much of the same hardware as the HTC U24 Pro rather than an entirely unique internal layout. While the Trump Mobile T1 held up well during physical durability checks, its strong similarity to the older HTC device brings up additional questions regarding its pricing and hardware originality.
