President Donald Trump selected Airbnb Inc. ABNB co-founder Joe Gebbia as the nation’s first Chief Design Officer.
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The billionaire entrepreneur will be tasked with modernizing federal government digital services and physical locations, according to a report by The Hill.
Gebbia, who serves on Tesla Inc.‘s TSLA Board of Directors and previously worked with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), will lead the newly created National Design Studio under Trump’s “America by Design” executive order signed Thursday.
Federal Websites Face Major Usability Crisis
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.
“An experience that projects a level of excellence for our nation, and makes life less complicated for everyday Americans,” Gebbia said in a Saturday X post, comparing his vision to “the Apple AAPL Store: beautifully designed, great user experience, run on modern software.”
Three-Year Mission With 2026 Deadline
The National Design Studio will operate out of the White House, with Gebbia reporting directly to Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Federal agency heads must “consult” with Gebbia to implement design improvements and produce initial results by July 4, 2026.
The temporary organization will terminate three years after its creation, focusing on websites and physical sites that have a “major impact” on Americans’ daily lives. Trump’s order aims to “reduce duplicative design costs” and “enhance the public’s trust in high-impact service providers.”
Billionaire’s Tech Background Shapes Appointment
Gebbia brings significant tech sector experience, owning approximately 7% of Airbnb and maintaining an estimated net worth of $8.14 billion, ranking him 430th globally according to Bloomberg. His Tesla board position since 2022 and close relationship with CEO Elon Musk could have influenced the appointment through Musk’s Trump administration connections.
Price Action: Airbnb closed at $129.92, up 2.76% on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data. The California-based online marketplace is valued at $80.74 billion, trades around 4.84 million shares daily, and has a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.46.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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