Trump signs executive order to ‘Make America’s websites beautiful again’

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to give US government websites a digital makeover – aiming to make them aesthetically pleasing and improve usability. Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia is now rumored to lead the initiative.

Titled “America by Design,” the national initiative is expected to “breathe new life into the design of sites where people interface with their Government,” the E.O. states.

“America has long led the world in innovation, technological advancement, and design. But with a sprawling ecosystem of digital services offered to Americans, the Government has lagged behind in usability and aesthetics,” Trump said.

“It is time to update the Government’s design language to be both usable and beautiful, “ the President said.

New agency, new appointee

Divided into four distinct sections, the America by Design E.O. will create a new National Design Studio, run by a yet-to-be-appointed Chief Design Officer in a newly created White House position.

According to Trump, the Chief Design Officer will help recruit top creative talent, coordinate with executive departments and agencies, and devise innovative solutions.

Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia is said to be Trump’s top pick for the position, according to two officials familiar with the matter, Reuters reported Thursday.

If true, Gebbia, who joined the administration earlier this year, will report to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

According to the order, the Chief Design Officer will have the authority to personally recruit designers and other private sector experts, “to employ the most talented designers of our generation to serve their country.”

The officer will also be directed to "consult with thought leaders and research and design firms on how best to implement the initiative.”

In contrast, the National Design Studio, acronym NDS, will be tasked with advising agencies on how best to accomplish their goals, for example, by reducing duplicative design costs and using standardized designs.

The NDS will apparently be a “temporary organization,” and “shall terminate 3 years from the date of this order,” the E.O. states.

Agency heads will be expected to produce initial results by July 4, 2026, which will entail improving both websites and physical sites.

Digital-first Public Experience 2.0

Currently, the government is working with 38 US-based high-impact service providers (HISPs) – essentially government agencies – held responsible for providing “government service delivery” that helps build trust “by improving the quality of experiences offered to the American public.”

The HISP-initiative is based on the last administration's September 2023 guidance to deliver a “Digital-first Public Experience,” including the federal government website performance.

Ironically, the link to that document – issued by the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – comes up empty, proving its own point. However, it could have possibly been removed by the Trump White House.

These providers have been selected due to the scale and critical nature of their public-facing services, according to the US government site performance.gov (which does load).

Why now? The president cited the high financial cost of maintaining legacy systems, as well as the cost in time for the American people attempting to navigate cumbersome government websites.

“It is time to fill the digital potholes across our Nation,” Trump said.