CNN's Anderson Cooper can't keep a straight face on air over Trump gold phone

It's safe to say that Trump's not exactly a popular figure with a number of America's most popular TV hosts, and while some have been forcibly taken off the air, CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper might soon face a similar fate after mocking Trump's gold-plated phone is finally out.

Cooper has been a long-time critic of US President Donald Trump across his two terms in the White House, yet sometimes his response to the political climate is less than of anger but leans more into hilarity.

Starting his segment on Tuesday, June 9, Cooper pointed out that this week many Americans have been able to exercise their ability to vote, while the White House transforms itself into a UFC arena in an event that somehow still shocked many.

Anderson Cooper reports on the "We The People" medallion joining the laundry list of Trump-branded merchandise promoted by the president and his family. pic.twitter.com/NT7fex550i

— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) June 10, 2026

Wondering where Trump finds the time to hold such events – alongside designing commemorative coins being sold for a jaw-dropping amount of money – Cooper then began to poke fun at some of the other business ventures associated with the president's name, including a newly released smartphone.

It has nearly been a year since Trump Mobile was first announced by the Trump Organization — a company technically not associated with the president but instead operated by his two eldest sons.

Alongside this announcement came news of a gold-plated phone designed for the president's biggest fans, alongside an associated network contract that would cost you $45.47 a month, pointing towards his two presidential terms.

While the T1 Phone was initially planned to release in September 2025, this was delayed several times – alongside reports of broken pre-orders – before finally being shipped last month to reviewers who tore the product apart.

As reported by the Independent, Cooper found plenty to laugh about when discussing the strange gadget, often failing to stop himself from breaking out into a chuckle when progressing through the segment.

"While originally touted as being 'Made in the USA', they're now marketed as 'designed with American values in mind'," Cooper outlined.

"Sorry, we should just pause and reflect on that claim for a moment: 'Designed with American values in mind'. I don't know that that means," he exclaimed. "Someone was thinking about America when they signed the contract to hawk these?

"Experts say they closely resemble a phone made in China, but somehow America values were thought about when they were first designed. Rest easy."

Whether 'true patriots' are actually happy with their purchase remains to be seen, but one thing that the T1 Phone has definitely provided post-launch is a laugh for those who find the whole situation ridiculous like Cooper.