In a groundbreaking move, President Donald Trump has named Joe Gebbia, the co-founder of Airbnb, as the first-ever Chief Design Officer for the United States.
Gebbia's mission is to revolutionize federal government websites, transforming them into user-friendly platforms reminiscent of the Apple Store experience.
According to RedState, this appointment was made official through an executive order signed on August 21, 2025. The order, titled "Improving Our Nation Through Better Design," introduces the "America by Design" initiative, a comprehensive plan to revamp the way Americans engage with government services online.
The executive order outlines three primary components to modernize federal digital services. Firstly, as the Chief Design Officer, Gebbia will report to the White House Chief of Staff and will be responsible for recruiting top-tier creative talent from the private sector to serve in government roles. Secondly, the America by Design Initiative, a nationwide program, will refresh the government's design language to make it both aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly. Lastly, the National Design Studio, a White House-based organization, will oversee the standardization of design across federal agencies, thereby reducing redundant design costs.
Gebbia, in an interview with Axios, described his vision for federal websites as "beautifully designed, with great user experience, and running on modern software." He acknowledged the current shortcomings of government websites, which he likened to "three strikes."
The need for this overhaul is underscored by research highlighting the widespread dysfunction across federal digital services. A 2022 study by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation revealed that a staggering 92 percent of the most popular federal government websites failed to meet basic standards for security, speed, mobile-friendliness, or accessibility.
The federal government operates an estimated 26,000 websites, many of which are outdated and not optimized for mobile use. The White House has disclosed that less than 20 percent of federal websites currently utilize code from the United States Web Design System, leading to inconsistent user experiences across government services.
Data from Performance.gov indicates significant gaps in basic functionality across federal websites, despite these sites handling over a billion pageviews from millions of Americans. Studies consistently show that poor user experiences on these websites negatively impact public trust and service delivery.
Gebbia, with his extensive experience in scaling digital platforms, is well-equipped to tackle these challenges. As a co-founder of Airbnb, he played a pivotal role in transforming vacation rental booking from a classified advertisement model to a streamlined digital experience used by millions worldwide.
The entrepreneur, who studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and previously served on Tesla's board, has been working with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) since February to modernize federal retirement processing. His efforts have successfully transitioned the system from a paper-based model to digital processing.
Gebbia's expertise has not gone unnoticed. "Cabinet members and other officials" have sought his assistance, acknowledging his ability to "ship internet products at scale that are beautifully designed," as he revealed in his Axios interview.
The executive order mandates federal agencies to produce initial design improvements by July 4, 2026, coinciding with America's 250th birthday. The directive prioritizes websites and physical locations that significantly impact Americans' everyday lives.
The General Services Administration, in consultation with Gebbia, will update the government's Web Design System. Agency heads are also required to comply with the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, a bipartisan legislation signed by Trump in 2018 aimed at enhancing government digital services.
Gebbia is a firm believer in simplicity, stating, "The best part is no part." He believes that the role of designers is to eliminate unnecessary components, a philosophy that aligns with Apple's retail strategy of intuitive navigation and immediate clarity of purpose.
However, the initiative faces substantial structural challenges. While the executive order calls for the recruitment of design talent, the administration has concurrently reduced federal workforce numbers, potentially limiting implementation capacity. Previous federal digital modernization efforts have encountered significant obstacles, from technical integration challenges to cultural resistance within government agencies.
Despite these challenges, the initiative could significantly enhance how Americans access government services, from veteran benefits to small business loan applications. With over half of federal website traffic coming from mobile devices, mobile optimization improvements could particularly benefit rural areas where mobile represents primary internet access.
Successful implementation of this initiative would streamline processes currently requiring multiple agency interactions, reduce support costs, and potentially increase public trust in government digital services. The standardized design approach aims to create consistent experiences across the federal government's extensive web presence.
Gebbia views this initiative as a generational opportunity for design professionals to contribute to government modernization. He said, "If you're a designer, if you're a creative in the United States today, this is a moment in time to help reshape the face of our nation."
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