Joe Gebbia, Co-Founder of Airbnb, Appointed as First Chief Design Officer by President Trump to Overhaul Federal Digital Services.

President Donald Trump has selected Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia as the nation's first Chief Design Officer. Gebbia will oversee the modernization of federal digital services and physical locations. He will lead the newly created National Design Studio under Trump's "America by Design" executive order. Gebbia brings significant tech sector experience, owning approximately 7% of Airbnb and maintaining an estimated net worth of $8.14 billion. The initiative addresses critical deficiencies in federal digital infrastructure, with only 6% of federal websites receiving "good" ratings for mobile performance, while 45% lack mobile-friendly functionality entirely. The National Design Studio will operate out of the White House, with a three-year mission to produce initial results by July 4, 2026.

President Donald Trump has appointed Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, as the nation's first Chief Design Officer. Gebbia will oversee the modernization of federal digital services and physical locations through the newly created National Design Studio under Trump's "America by Design" executive order [1].

Gebbia brings significant tech sector experience, owning approximately 7% of Airbnb and maintaining an estimated net worth of $8.14 billion. His appointment reflects a broader shift in the perception of design, which is now seen as core infrastructure rather than mere surface-level polish [2].

The National Design Studio will operate out of the White House, with a three-year mission to produce initial results by July 4, 2026. Gebbia will lead efforts to upgrade the "usability and aesthetics" of federal digital services and standardize design for websites that allow people to interact with the government [3].

The initiative addresses critical deficiencies in federal digital infrastructure. According to the executive order's fact sheet, only 6% of approximately 26,000 federal websites receive "good" ratings for mobile performance, while 45% lack mobile-friendly functionality entirely [1]. The studio aims to reduce duplicative design costs and enhance the public's trust in high-impact service providers.

Gebbia's appointment has stirred debate, but his experience in modernizing complex user experiences and his design philosophy centered on empathy and user-focused thinking position him to potentially move the needle where others have not [1].

References:
[1] https://community.designtaxi.com/topic/16135-donald-trump-launches-10b-america-by-design-plan-to-fix-government-websites-eyes-airbnbs-joe-gebbia-as-chief-design-officer/
[2] https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/08/47298504/trump-taps-airbnb-co-founder-joe-gebbia-as-1st-chief-design-officer-to-overhaul-federal-digital-services
[3] https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trump-is-forming-a-national-design-studio-to-spruce-up-government-websites-140053273.html