A deep dive into the National Design Studio reveals federal employees are being paid by a nonprofit linked to SpaceXAI’s general counsel.
The office doors in the Executive Office of the President look like any other. but behind the National Design Studio. the payroll system tells a different story. While the unit was established to overhaul government websites and public services. at least two of its members remain on the private ledger of the America by Design Foundation.
This nonprofit is overseen by James Burnham. who serves as the current general counsel for SpaceXAI—the artificial intelligence venture founded by Elon Musk. Burnham is also a former member of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The foundation’s financial origins, including the identity of its donors and its total operating budget, remain obscured.
The National Design Studio launched in August 2025 as part of the broader “America by Design” initiative. a federal program aimed at improving the digital experience for citizens. Under the leadership of chief design officer Joe Gebbia. a cofounder of Airbnb. the studio has already rolled out public portals such as TrumpRx and RealFood.gov. The overlap between the new studio and the former DOGE group is extensive. Former DOGE personnel. including Edward “Big Balls” Coristine. who now serves as the studio’s head of engineering. have migrated into these government roles alongside figures like Akash Bobba and Zachary Terrell. the latter currently serving as chief technology officer at the Department of Health and Human Services.
The mechanism for this staffing model relies on the Intergovernment Personnel Act. While designed to allow specialists from universities and nonprofits to offer their expertise to the government for up to two years. the structure mirrors the ambiguity that surrounded DOGE. Many DOGE operatives previously utilized the “special government employee” designation. which permits federal service for 120 days annually without standard hiring procedures or full public transparency disclosures.
The current arrangement creates a blurred line between private interest and public administration. For observers like Don Moynihan. a professor of public policy at the University of Michigan. the lack of transparency is the primary issue. He notes that the public is left in the dark about who exactly is signing the paychecks of those crafting government services. particularly when that pipeline involves a constant cycle of staff moving between private industry and the federal government.
The National Design Studio continues its work, but the question of its independence remains. With staff funneled through an opaque nonprofit linked to the same billionaire-led circle that birthed DOGE. the initiative functions less like a traditional government bureau and more like a private-sector extension operating within the halls of the presidency.
National Design Studio James Burnham SpaceXAI Joe Gebbia DOGE government transparency tech industry America by Design