Nonprofit Linked to SpaceXAI Lawyer Funds White House Design Staff
WIRED reveals White House design staff paid by nonprofit tied to SpaceXAI lawyer.
Why it matters: Legal professionals should note potential compliance and ethical issues arising from government staff funded by a nonprofit connected to a private tech company’s general counsel, impacting government contracting and transparency.
- National Design Studio (NDS), created by Executive Order 14338 on Aug 21, 2025, modernizes US government digital services.
- Joe Gebbia, Airbnb co-founder and former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) member, is NDS’s Chief Design Officer.
- At least two NDS members are paid by America by Design Foundation, a nonprofit run by James Burnham, SpaceXAI’s general counsel.
- The nonprofit’s funding sources and financial details are undisclosed, limiting transparency of private funding in government roles.
- NDS operates within the White House Office, headquartered in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
The National Design Studio (NDS) was established by President Donald J. Trump on August 21, 2025, under Executive Order 14338 with the goal of improving US government digital services. It functions inside the White House Office and is based in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb and former member of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—a government initiative focused on streamlining operations—serves as NDS’s Chief Design Officer. NDS has launched government websites such as TrumpRx and RealFood.gov.
A WIRED investigation dated October 7, 2026 identified that at least two staffers at NDS are employed and paid by the America by Design Foundation, a nonprofit entity managed by James Burnham. Burnham is general counsel for SpaceXAI, a private technology company.
The America by Design Foundation is a recent nonprofit with undisclosed financial sources and no publicly available detailed funding records. This setup means government employees working at NDS are salaried through a nonprofit linked to a private company lawyer, which raises considerations about compliance with government ethics rules, transparency in government contracting, and potential conflicts of interest.
Don Moynihan, Professor of Public Policy at the University of Michigan and an expert on government transparency and public sector governance (profile), stated: "Not knowing who employs and pays government workers complicates oversight and integrity efforts, especially when individuals move between the private sector and government." His observation underscores the importance of clear disclosure and accountability mechanisms in government staffing.
By the numbers:
- August 21, 2025 — Date President Trump established NDS by Executive Order 14338
- October 7, 2026 — Date of WIRED investigation revealing nonprofit funding arrangement
- At least 2 — Number of NDS staffers paid by America by Design Foundation
Yes, but: While the nonprofit’s financial opacity could be viewed as a transparency gap, specific violations of government ethics rules have not been publicly documented or confirmed at this time.
What's next: Further investigation and official disclosures could clarify the financial and ethical status of NDS staffing arrangements. Legal and compliance teams should monitor developments regarding government-private partnerships involving staffing.