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Trump taps Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia to make US govt websites as sleek as the Apple app store
Joe Gebbia will serve as the US government’s chief design officer and will head the newly created National Design Studio, which according to the executive order will improve the “usability and aesthetics” of federal digital services.
US President Donald J. Trump has appointed Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia to lead a new White House initiative aimed at modernizing the design of federal digital services, the administration announced on Saturday.
Gebbia, who will serve as the government’s chief design officer, will head the newly created National Design Studio, which according to the executive order will improve the “usability and aesthetics” of federal digital services. “An experience that projects a level of excellence for our nation, and makes life less complicated for everyday Americans,” Gebbia wrote on X, describing his vision for government platforms that are “beautifully designed and running on modern software with a great user experience.”
White House official David Sacks said on X that Gebbia will “oversee the redesign of roughly 26,000 federal web portals, many of which are obsolete, so they better serve Social Security recipients, veterans, and all citizens.” The studio will also advise agencies on how to reduce duplicative design costs and implement standardized approaches on sites where the public interacts with the government.
The initiative follows an executive order signed by Trump, establishing the studio as a successor of sorts to the Department of Government Efficiency, a controversial office once led by billionaire Elon Musk. Reports quoting people familiar with the effort described the new entity as a streamlined version of that department with a narrower mandate. The order stipulates that the studio will close in three years.
Gebbia has already worked with the federal human resources agency to revamp retirement services for public employees, and officials said improving the Internal Revenue Service’s digital systems would be among his early priorities, according to a Reuters report.
Many federal websites, often designed by low-cost contractors years ago, have long been criticized for being difficult to use and behind the standards of the private sector. Gebbia said his goal is to bring the kind of polish and ease of use associated with companies like Apple.
Who is Joo Gebbia?
Joe began his life as an artist and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) where he earned dual degrees in Graphic Design and Industrial Design, and currently serves on the RISD Board of Trustees. Joe is an Airbnb.org host and signatory to the Giving Pledge.
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