Trump Mobile's Roots Trace Back to Boxer Canelo Álvarez

The company behind the Trump phone previously launched a mobile service with the Mexican boxer's name and branding.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Trump Mobile, the company behind the upcoming Trump-branded smartphone, has its origins in an earlier venture called Canelo Mobile that was launched in partnership with Mexican boxer Canelo Álvarez. According to executives at Liberty Mobile, the MVNO that owns Trump Mobile, they had previously tested the same business model with Canelo Mobile, which offered branded phones and mobile service to Mexican-American consumers in the U.S. However, Canelo Mobile struggled to gain traction and ultimately shut down within a few years.

Why it matters

The story of Trump Mobile's origins provides insight into the company's strategy and business model, which appears to be focused on leveraging a famous celebrity's brand to sell mobile service and devices. The failure of the previous Canelo Mobile venture raises questions about whether the Trump-branded approach will be more successful in attracting customers.

The details

Trump Mobile executives Don Hendrickson and Eric Thomas revealed that the idea for the company originated from conversations with the marketing team at Liberty Mobile, the MVNO that owns Trump Mobile. They had previously launched Canelo Mobile in 2020, offering branded Android phones and mobile service targeted at Mexican-American consumers. However, Canelo Mobile struggled to gain traction, with its social media profiles only having a few thousand followers and the website eventually going offline by 2025.

  • Canelo Mobile launched in May 2020.
  • Canelo Mobile's last social media posts were in July 2022.
  • Canelo Mobile's website became non-functional by February 2025.

The players

Don Hendrickson

An executive at Liberty Mobile and Trump Mobile who helped pitch the idea for Trump Mobile to the Trump Organization.

Eric Thomas

An executive at Liberty Mobile and Trump Mobile who spoke about the company's origins and business model.

Canelo Álvarez

A Mexican professional boxer who lent his name and brand to the failed Canelo Mobile venture.

Liberty Mobile

The MVNO company that owns and operates both the Canelo Mobile and Trump Mobile services.

Hotpepper

A budget Android phone brand that provided the hardware for the Canelo Mobile phones.

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What they’re saying

“We had a Canelo Mobile program with him and it was going out to service Mexican Americans here in the US, and we were looking at doing something along those lines.”

— Don Hendrickson, Executive, Liberty Mobile and Trump Mobile (The Verge)

“You think of Trump and I immediately think of quality. I think of a higher-level brand. For us it's about honoring that brand, honoring that legacy of quality and integrity.”

— Don Hendrickson, Executive, Liberty Mobile and Trump Mobile (The Verge)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This story highlights how companies are increasingly looking to leverage celebrity brands to sell mobile services and devices, even if those efforts don't always succeed. It raises questions about whether the Trump brand will be more successful in attracting customers than the previous Canelo Mobile venture.