Trump wants to make US Government websites beautiful again - and signs Airbnb co-founder to lead the fight

1 hour ago 4

Trump criticizes legacy US Government websites as expensive and poor to use
New "American by Design" initiative will modernize government agency sites
Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia appointed as Chief Design Officer of National Design Studio

President Trump may soon be browsing for the best website builders after ordering improvements to federal government websites and physical spaces in the hope to make them more attractive for both workers and customers.

“The Government has lagged behind in usability and aesthetics,” Trump said in a new Executive Order, noting the need for system modernization that could tackle high maintenance costs in the process.

The Executive Order explains legacy systems can be costly to maintain and costly to American citizens, who can spend more time than necessary trying to navigate them, hence the need for change.

Trump wants to modernize US Government websites

The Order introduces Trump’s new ‘America by Design’ initiative, which begins with high-touch point sites where citizens are most likely to interact with government agencies.

The formation of a new National Design Studio and the appointment of a Chief Design Officer will oversee the project.

“It is the policy of my Administration to deliver digital and physical experiences that are both beautiful and efficient, improving the quality of life for our Nation,” Trump wrote.

The National Design Studio has been tasked with reducing duplicative design costs, much in the same way that the White House has already started centralizing IT procurement to boost cost efficiency.

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It will also use a standardized design for consistency and trust, and improve the quality of public-facing experiences.

Agencies have been given until July 4, 2026 to deliver their initial results after consulting with the Chief Design Officer.

Separate Reuters reporting has revealed Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia will lead the National Design Studio as Chief Design Officer, with the Internal Revenue Service set to be the first place to see an overhaul.

Trump’s Order also confirms the “temporary organization” will close in three years, on August 21, 2028, suggesting that site modernization could be complete even before that.