From Airbnb to the White House: Trump names America’s first Chief Design Officer
New “America by Design” initiative aims to revolutionize digital government services with $10 billion budget
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In a first-of-its-kind move, President Donald Trump has created the role of Chief Design Officer (CDO) to lead a sweeping redesign of federal government services.
The position has been filled by Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, according to reports from Bloomberg and the Financial Express.
The appointment follows Trump’s executive order signed on August 21, establishing the “America by Design” program to modernize outdated digital infrastructure.
With more than 26,000 fragmented federal websites, many difficult to navigate despite billions spent annually, officials say poor design is directly undermining access to essential services such as Social Security, Medicare, and immigration.
Gebbia, 44, will oversee efforts to streamline tax filing, Medicare and Social Security applications, immigration forms, and other citizen-facing systems. He will also head a newly created National Design Studio, charged with setting unified digital standards and improving accessibility across devices and languages.
The initiative carries a $10 billion, three-year budget, with first results expected by July 4, 2026. The design office will report directly to the White House chief of staff, underscoring its high-level backing.
Gebbia previously contributed to public-sector reforms while serving in Elon Musk’s now-defunct Office of Government Efficiency, where he helped modernize the federal pension system. Speaking to Bloomberg, he described Washington as a “design desert” and said effective design is “a prerequisite for accessible public services.”
If successful, the program could also open lucrative opportunities for private-sector firms specializing in user experience, branding, and digital platforms, positioning Washington as a new hub for design innovation.