E&C Democrats Investigate T-Mobile and Trump Mobile Arrangement, Citing Potential Conflicts of Interest and Compromised Spectrum Deals

Energy and Commerce Committee Democratic leaders wrote to T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert today expressing deep concerns with the company’s involvement in the Trump Administration’s new wireless service, “Trump Mobile,” saying it has legal and ethical implications – including for our nation’s spectrum policies.

The letter, which requests responses to a series of questions designed to help Committee Democrats conduct oversight of T-Mobile’s arrangement, was signed by Full Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Doris Matsui (D-CA), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY).

“We are specifically concerned that T-Mobile’s business relationship with the Trump Organization — while Donald Trump is serving as President of the United States — presents a conflict of interest that will harm the American people,” the three Democratic Committee leaders wrote to Sievert.

They explained that since President Trump is responsible for appointing the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is the primary agency tasked with regulating T-Mobile’s business, the mobile servicer’s arrangement with the Trump Organization presents the appearance of significant conflicts of interest and potentially serious legal and ethical concerns. This is particularly true, they wrote, given the well-documented history of the current Chair – Brendan Carr – using his position to advance Trump’s interests.

“Indeed, T-Mobile is now well-positioned to use its relationship with Trump Mobile to gain favorable regulatory decisions affecting the company — such as spectrum allocations, merger approvals, or enforcement actions — without any regard as to whether those decisions are in the public interest,” Pallone, Matsui, and Clarke wrote in their letter.

The lawmakers went on to say that this arrangement also raises questions about the negotiations between T-Mobile and the Trump Organization regarding the spectrum agreement that was included in the recent passage of the Big Ugly Bill – which T-Mobile openly supported.

“Therefore, the Trump Organization’s recent announcement of Trump Mobile operating on your network raises the appearance of a quid pro quo between your company and President Trump regarding the direction of our country’s spectrum policies,” they concluded. “It is imperative that our country’s spectrum policies — as well as our economic and national security interests — are not being compromised to benefit President Trump and his family.”

The three Committee leaders ended by requesting documents and detailed responses to a series of questions, including:

• Whether T-Mobile has had any communications about Trump Mobile with President Trump, the White House, or the Trump Organization since President Trump took office;
• Copies and descriptions of any communications T-Mobile may have had with President Trump, the White House, or the Trump Organization pertaining to U.S. spectrum policy and/or Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill;
• Details related to T-Mobile’s agreements with Liberty Mobile, the virtual network operating on T-Mobile’s network that will power Trump Mobile; and
• Whether T-Mobile maintains an operator agreement with the Trump Organization and/or Trump Mobile, and if so, how much money T-Mobile will receive in exchange for the arrangement.

Pallone, Matsui, and Clarke asked the company to respond by August 6, 2025.

Full text of the letter can be found HERE.

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