Trump Appoints Airbnb Co-Founder Joe Gebbia to Lead New National Design Studio for US Government Services

In a move to change how Americans interact with federal agencies online, US President Donald Trump has announced a National Design Studio, and to lead this, he has chosen Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia. 

Gebbia will lead the newly formed federal agency tasked with redesigning how Americans access government services online. The move comes under an executive order signed Thursday, creating the National Design Studio, which aims to improve the usability and appearance of digital platforms run by federal agencies.

Gebbia has been appointed as Chief Design Officer of the studio, which is a short-term initiative of three years to build standardised and user-friendly design systems across government websites. It aims to help federal agencies reduce design-related inefficiencies by adopting shared frameworks and improving overall user experience. The agency will be overseen by an administrator who will report directly to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

Gebbia’s role includes working on known problem areas in the federal system, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which has long faced criticism over its outdated and difficult-to-navigate online portals. He will also be responsible for recruiting top creative talent, coordinating with executive departments and agencies, and coming up with innovative solutions.

The establishment of the National Design Studio follows the quiet dismantling of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) - a previous Trump-era effort led by Elon Musk, which had aimed to cut federal staffing and overhaul digital systems. DOGE effectively became inactive after Musk’s public fallout with Trump earlier this year.

The National Design Studio is expected to begin operations later this year. It will help agencies reduce design costs, use consistent designs to build public trust, and improve the overall experience of government services for Americans.

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