The Trump administration launched a revamped America.gov website Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Its artificial-intelligence feature answers questions using what the site calls “official government sources,” but several early responses conflicted with statements President Donald Trump has repeatedly made. During the launch event, some answers changed. Later, the site refused to answer questions about the 2020 election, Trump’s impeachments or felony convictions, labeling them “political questions.”
Answers from official sources
Asked whether widespread fraud changed the 2020 presidential election outcome, America.gov initially replied: “Official federal sources do not show that widespread fraud changed the 2020 presidential election outcome. Isolated election crimes did occur and have been prosecuted.” Republican Trump lost the election to Democrat Joe Biden. He has repeatedly claimed, falsely, that the result was “stolen” and that widespread fraud occurred. Repeated audits and recounts found no significant fraud, and Trump’s own administration said the election was clean.
The answer changed while Trump spoke at the launch. Asked again about the election, the chatbot said it couldn’t answer “political questions.” It gave the same response to questions about whether Trump had been impeached or convicted of felony charges. Both the initial answers and the later refusal were part of the launch-day exchange described in the report.
A separate response addressed whether Trump could run for president in 2028. The site said: “The 22nd Amendment says that no person shall be elected President more than twice. Donald J. Trump has already been elected twice (2016 and 2024). I am not giving legal advice.” Trump has frequently suggested he wants a third term. He has posted about another campaign, worn 2028 caps and discussed ways to make it happen, while also acknowledging that the Constitution prohibits it. A couple of months after returning to the White House, he told NBC News, “There are methods which you could” use to seek a third term.
Policy and presidential claims
On the Pentagon, America.gov said: “The Pentagon is the headquarters of the Department of Defense.” Last year, Trump signed an executive order aimed at rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War, saying the former name was “woke.” The website used the department’s existing name.
The chatbot’s climate response also differed from Trump’s public language. It said: “Federal climate-science pages say recent warming is largely from human greenhouse-gas emissions, mainly burning fossil fuels. Earth’s climate has also changed for natural reasons over long periods.” Trump has called climate change a “hoax.” He previously issued an executive order directing the Environmental Protection Agency to submit a report on “the legality and continuing applicability” of the endangerment finding. Conservatives and some congressional Republicans have long sought to undo rules they consider overly restrictive and economically damaging measures to limit greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
The website also answered a question about presidential salaries. It named Trump, George Washington, Herbert Hoover and John F. Kennedy as presidents who had declined to keep their pay. During his remarks Tuesday, Trump said he was the first U.S. president to forgo a salary, a claim he has made before. Trump, a real estate mogul, took in about $1.2 billion from various crypto holdings the previous year.
Launch at the Mellon Auditorium
The launch took place at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington. Trump held a signing ceremony surrounded by Cabinet members and others. The Associated Press article was written by Meg Kinnard, Chris Rugaber and Will Weissert; Kinnard reported from Columbia, South Carolina. The article was updated at 3:36 p.m. UTC on Sept. 29, 2026.