Technology — Trump Mobile walks it back

View Online Technology Technology The Big Story  Trump Mobile ditches 'Made in the USA' language The Trump Organization's new mobile phone venture, Trump Mobile, has removed language from its website suggesting that its forthcoming smartphones will be made in the U.S.  © Richard Drew, Associated Press Trump Mobile, which President Trump's sons unveiled last week, initially said in a press release that its golden T1 phone would be "designed and built in the United States."   The official site touted the phone as "MADE IN THE USA."   However, such language has since been removed from the site, which instead advertises the $499 phone as "designed with American values in mind."    "The T1 Phone isn't just powerful—it's brought to life right here in the USA," the site reads. "With American hands behind every device, we bring care, precision, and trusted quality to every detail."    When the president's sons unveiled Trump Mobile last week and committed to building their phones in the U.S., experts were immediately skeptical.   They suggested the company was likely to encounter the same problems that have prevented other smartphone manufacturers from building phones in the U.S.    Smartphone makers, like Apple and Samsung, are heavily reliant on supply chains that run through Asia.   It would likely require years and vast amounts of investment to move manufacturing to the U.S., an endeavor that could also result in more expensive phones.    Despite the change in language on the website, a Trump Mobile spokesperson said its phones are still being built in the U.S. "The T1 phones are being built by Americans in three facilities in the U..S, and we're excited to have them available later this year," the spokesperson said in a statement.   Read more in a full report at TheHill.com. Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter, we're Miranda Nazzaro and Julia Shapero — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future: Meta inks solar, wind power deals for data centers Meta has signed four new clean energy agreements, securing additional solar and wind energy for its massive data center operations, the companies announced Thursday. The technology company’s agreements with developer Invenergy will make way for projects in three U.S. states and provide Meta with an additional 791 megawatts. The projects in Ohio, Arkansas and Texas are expected to bolster Meta’s operations, data …  Full Story Senate parliamentarian requests AI moratorium be rewritten in 'big, beautiful bill' Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has asked Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to rewrite the controversial artificial intelligence (AI) provision in President Trump's tax package, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) told reporters Thursday. Cruz and Cantwell (D-Wash.), the ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, met with the Senate parliamentarian Wednesday night, a source familiar with the conversations …  Full Story OpenAI's Sam Altman to speak at Fed bank conference OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will speak at a Federal Reserve conference on bank regulation next month.  The leader of the key artificial intelligence (AI) firm will join newly confirmed Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman for a fireside chat at the Integrated Review of the Capital Framework for Large Banks conference on July 22. It's unclear what Altman plans to discuss at the banking conference, which is set to feature …  Full Story The Refresh  News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics: Meta poaches three OpenAI researchers for superintelligence effort (Wall Street Journal) Judge sides with Meta in lawsuit over AI training on copyrighted books (TechCrunch) Crypto Corner  Trump stablecoin push collides with effort to combine crypto bills © Mark Humphrey, Associated Press Welcome to Crypto Corner, a daily feature focused on digital currency and its outlook in Washington. The White House is pushing the House to quickly get stablecoin legislation across the finish line with limited changes, frustrating efforts to tie the bill to a larger crypto framework and limiting the lower chamber's ability to put its stamp on the measure.    After the Senate passed the GENIUS Act last week, President Trump called on the House to move "lightning fast" and get a "clean" bill to his desk without delay.   "Get it to my desk, ASAP — NO DELAYS, NO ADD ONS," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "This is American Brilliance at its best, and we are going to show the World how to WIN with Digital Assets like never before!"      But the push to pass the stablecoin bill on its own cuts against efforts supported by some in the industry and Congress who worry that another key crypto bill — seeking to divvy up regulation of the broader crypto market — will lose momentum.   "From the House's perspective, there is a significant risk that if the House passes stablecoins without a market structure bill, the Senate will just not take up the market structure bill in a timely fashion or at all," said Jennifer Schulp, director of financial regulation studies at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives.    The GENIUS Act, which lays out a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, passed the Senate last week by a 68-30 vote, becoming the first major crypto legislation to clear the chamber.    While it marked a significant milestone for the crypto industry, the stablecoin bill represents just one part of the equation.     The second key priority for the Trump administration and GOP leadership has been legislation that would clearly split oversight of the digital asset market between two regulators — the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. They hope to pass both bills by August.    Some House lawmakers have indicated they would like to tie market structure legislation — such as the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act that advanced out of the House Financial Services Committee earlier this month — to the stablecoin bill and pass them together.  Check out the full story at TheHill.com. In Other News  Branch out with other reads on The Hill: Slotkin calls for ban on cellphones in all K-12 classrooms Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) called for a ban on cellphones in every K-12 school in the U.S. during a speech in Washington on Thursday.  "As we increase technology in schools, we also have to acknowledge where technology is already harming our kids," Slotkin told an audience at the Center for American Progress Action.  "Too many students are lagging in the people and the problem-solving skills that will be even more … Full Story What Others are Reading  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Iran briefing leaves Democrats asking questions about Trump's claims on Iran operation Democratic senators said they were left with questions Thursday about what was largely viewed as a successful strike in Iran, even as many cautioned … Read more Trump's attacks on CNN, Fox underscore effort to stifle questions, put media on back foot The Trump administration is calling out reporters by name as it seeks to push its narrative about U.S. strikes on Iran, seeking to put the media on … Read more   You're all caught up. 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