The freedom-themed carrier offers Trump Mobile more than just network access.
We’ve long known that Trump Mobile was linked to Liberty Mobile, a carrier with freedom-themed branding targeting a conservative audience. The connection is closer than previously thought. As we anticipate the Trump phone’s launch, it’s crucial to understand who’s truly behind the device, beyond the name on it.
“Liberty Mobile is umbilically connected to Trump [Mobile],” says Don Hendrickson, one of the three Trump Mobile executives, including Eric Thomas and Pat O’Brien, who also own Liberty Mobile.
The Trump Mobile terms state it’s “powered by Liberty Mobile Wireless LLC,” which understates the relationship. Thomas calls Liberty Mobile the “enabler” for the Trump network, while Hendrickson calls it the “backbone.” Liberty Mobile handles Trump Mobile’s technical backend, larger carrier relationships, and legal and financial obligations.
“Liberty Mobile is the company registered with all the states, that clears taxes, pays fees, and complies with state requirements,” Hendrickson says. “Liberty has the engineering staff, carrier partnerships, and optimization algorithms.”
Without Liberty Mobile, Trump Mobile wouldn’t exist. But what is Liberty Mobile?
It’s an MVNO — a mobile virtual network operator — that buys unused network capacity from larger carriers to operate with minimal overhead.
Most MVNOs offer lower price points or target niche audiences. Liberty Mobile focuses on the latter, using freedom-themed branding to attract conservatives, with a Liberty Bell logo in red, white, and blue.
It’s not the only “Liberty” in the industry. Liberty Mobile differs from the now-defunct MVNO Liberty Wireless; the telecom infrastructure group Liberty Global; or the Liberty carriers under the Liberty Latin America group.
Its messaging is less political than Trump Mobile’s and open to different audiences. I recently reported that Liberty Mobile previously launched Canelo Mobile, an MVNO co-branded with boxer Canelo Álvarez, targeting Mexican Americans.
Liberty Mobile’s plans are cheaper than Trump Mobile’s $47.45 plan, ranging from $17 to $40 monthly, including free international calling but lacking other Trump perks like roadside assistance and telehealth.
Its online presence is minimal, with no visible social media. Its website seems outdated, with a 2025 copyright date, and incomplete sections like a blank “phones” page and lorem ipsum-filled FAQ.
Who’s behind it? Thomas says he, Hendrickson, and O’Brien own Liberty and are its core.
O’Brien previously mentioned Ensurety Ventures, his company, acquired Liberty earlier. Ensurety’s website doesn’t list Liberty but includes Drive America and Omega, which provide roadside assistance and device protection to Trump Mobile.
However, Thomas and Hendrickson deny Ensurety’s ownership, calling it a third party. I requested clarification via email, but received no response before publication.
Their roles remain unclear, as job titles weren’t confirmed. I was promised an “official structure” email, which hasn’t arrived after weeks, and my follow-up was unanswered.
LinkedIn profiles don’t mention Liberty Mobile or Trump. O’Brien is listed as Ensurety’s president since 2001. Thomas is a founder/CEO of Vmedical, mentioned on Liberty Mobile’s homepage, and has been since 2020, before the supposed Ensurety acquisition.
State records list Matt Lopatin as Liberty Mobile’s founder/CEO, not mentioning the others. Records suggest the company was registered in 2018, contradicting Hendrickson’s claim of operating since 2006. I found no evidence of Liberty Mobile before 2018.
Exploring Trump Mobile repeatedly raises more questions. One unsurprising detail is its registered address: an apartment complex at 16001 Collins Avenue in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, known as Trump Towers.