{"slug": "i-ve-done-a-sh-tty-job-as-president-trump-jokes-if-his-new-ai-powered-government", "title": "'I've Done a Sh*tty Job as President' Trump Jokes if His New AI-Powered Government Website Is His Greatest Achievement", "summary": "President Trump signed an executive order on 29 September 2026 directing federal agencies to connect their services to America.gov, a new AI-powered federal services portal launched at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington. The order, titled 'Streamlining Access to Government Services Through America.gov', tasks the General Services Administration with the National Design Studio and the Office of Management and Budget to operate the platform, which covers online services used by more than 100,000 people a year and excludes IRS tax filing, Department of War services and Intelligence Community elements, while requiring Login.gov integration and an OMB implementation memorandum within 90 days. The White House says the site draws on 29,000 government websites and that Americans spend around 10 billion hours a year on federal paperwork, though Axios reported the chatbot contradicted some of Trump's own claims at launch, and US chief design officer Joe Gebbia told the Wall Street Journal and CNBC it uses Grok and Gemini.", "body_md": "# 'I've Done a Sh*tty Job as President' Trump Jokes if His New AI-Powered Government Website Is His Greatest Achievement\n\n## The AI-powered portal is intended to provide a single gateway to federal services, though questions remain over its accuracy, security and promised features.\n\nThe president made the remark on 29 September 2026 at the launch of [America.gov](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/trump-launches-americagov-ai-federal-services-1822728) at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington. He also signed an executive order directing federal agencies to connect their services to the platform.\n\nThe line drew laughter and applause, but the same speech described the site in much more ambitious terms, while civic technologists questioned how much it can do today.\n\n## The Quip and the Contradiction\n\nTrump told the audience that people had been calling America.gov one of the most incredible things his government had done, according to Mediaite's report of C-SPAN footage. 'I think it's damn good,' he said, before adding that he did not believe it was his biggest achievement. If it were, he said, he had 'done a sh*tty job as president'.\n\nHe also called the site 'just another thing'. Yet Nextgov reported that he described the launch as 'one of the most revolutionary product launches of all time'. Trump also thanked Elon Musk for envisioning the technological transformation of government.\n\n## What america.gov Does and What the Order Requires\n\nThe White House says America.gov is a 'single digital point of entry' to federal information and services. Users type questions into a chat box and receive AI-generated answers without creating an account. Axios reported that the site draws on 29,000 government websites.\n\nThe executive order, titled 'Streamlining Access to Government Services Through America.gov', directs the General Services Administration, in coordination with the National Design Studio and the Office of Management and Budget, to establish and operate the platform.\n\nIt covers online services used by more than 100,000 people a year, while tax filing services provided by the Internal Revenue Service, services provided by the Department of War and elements of the Intelligence Community are excluded.\n\nThe order also requires Login.gov integration and directs the Office of Management and Budget to issue an implementation memorandum within 90 days. It bars the platform from creating a [centralised federal system of records](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/openai-ai-agents-government-system-access-1822656) on Americans.\n\nIt also preserves in-person, telephone and postal routes, so America.gov does not become the only option. The White House fact sheet says Americans spend around 10 billion hours a year on federal paperwork.\n\n## Accuracy, Models and Security Questions\n\nAxios reported that at launch the site contradicted some of Trump's own claims, including by saying Joe Biden won the 2020 election. It later began declining some political questions. The order requires the '[super intelligence](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/trump-wants-rename-ai-super-intelligence-calling-artificial-inaccurate-plans-ai-force-czar-1821204)' behind the site to be 'accurate, reliable, and transparent', using Trump's new term for super intelligence.\n\nThe site does not prominently identify the [AI models](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/trump-ai-safeguards-family-investments-defence-1821201) powering the chatbot. Joe Gebbia, the US chief design officer, told the Wall Street Journal and CNBC that it uses Grok and Gemini, although reporting said it remained unclear which models power the chatbot.\n\nOn security, The Hill reported that Trump said the site 'in theory' cannot be hacked. The National reported that Gebbia described it as almost impossible to hack.\n\nThese are claims made by Trump and Gebbia rather than established assessments of the platform's security. The site's privacy notice says messages are not saved and chats disappear when users leave, although some answers may be cached for a limited period.\n\n## Critics Question How Much the Platform Can Do\n\nTwo civic technologists were sceptical when they spoke to Nextgov. Mikey Dickerson, a former head of the US Digital Service, said the site is no big leap beyond earlier 'one-stop shops'.\n\nChristopher Whitaker of the Alliance of Civic Technologists said much of the real functionality is still 'coming soon'. When he tested a veterans' disability claim, the site sent him to the Department of Veterans Affairs website.\n\nThe timeline is also unclear. The White House fact sheet says Americans will be able to renew passports and enrol in Medicare 'later this year'.\n\nThe America.gov site says forms and applications will be available in early 2027. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said passport applications would arrive in December 2026, with a goal that most Americans can apply through the site by the end of 2027.\n\nCMS administrator Mehmet Oz said the site could replace informational packets that cost the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services about £74 million ($100 million) a year. Trump also used the launch to argue for the SAVE America Act, a stalled bill requiring photo ID for voters.\n\nAmerica.gov is due to gain additional functions through 2027, while its current version remains focused on answering questions and directing users to federal services.\n\n© Copyright IBTimes 2026. All rights reserved.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/i-ve-done-a-sh-tty-job-as-president-trump-jokes-if-his-new-ai-powered-government", "canonical_source": "https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/trump-america-gov-launch-critics-question-capabilities-1822735", "published_at": "2026-09-29 20:19:26+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-09-29 20:48:53.908389+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy", "artificial-intelligence", "generative-ai", "ai-products"], "entities": ["Donald Trump", "America.gov", "Elon Musk", "Joe Gebbia", "General Services Administration", "Office of Management and Budget", "Login.gov", "Grok"], "also_reported_by": [], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/i-ve-done-a-sh-tty-job-as-president-trump-jokes-if-his-new-ai-powered-government", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/i-ve-done-a-sh-tty-job-as-president-trump-jokes-if-his-new-ai-powered-government.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/i-ve-done-a-sh-tty-job-as-president-trump-jokes-if-his-new-ai-powered-government.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/i-ve-done-a-sh-tty-job-as-president-trump-jokes-if-his-new-ai-powered-government.jsonld"}}