The Daily Beast found that at least six of the 11 stock photos on the newly launched America.gov were taken outside the United States, with images traced to China, Spain, Canada, Poland and Estonia. The site, launched at the end of September and featuring an AI chatbot, was praised by President Trump at its unveiling. Critics noted that several images were licensed through Stocksy, a photo company based in British Columbia, and The Independent has sought comment from the National Design Studio.
Analysis Finds Multiple America.gov Stock Photos Were Shot Outside The U.S.
America.gov was launched by the Donald Trump administration this week - but feature pictures not taken in the US (Reuters)
The Trump administration's newly launched America.gov website uses several stock photographs that, according to an analysis by The Daily Beast, were originally taken outside the United States. The site, unveiled at the end of September and featuring an AI-powered chatbot, has drawn attention for its imagery as well as its messaging.
America.gov was launched by the Donald Trump administration this week - but feature pictures not taken in the US (Reuters)
What The Analysis Found
The Daily Beast identified that at least six of the 11 stock images displayed on America.gov were photographed abroad. Reported locations include Beijing (China), Vigo and Madrid (Spain), Salt Spring Island (British Columbia, Canada), Poland and Estonia. One image shows a mother and daughter viewing a tablet and was traced to Beijing; others depict a smiling couple in Vigo and a child looking out at commercial jets in Madrid.
This image was taken in Beijing, China, according to an analysis by The Daily Beast, but still appears on America.gov (America.gov)
Context And Reaction
President Donald Trump praised the platform at a National Design Studio launch event, calling it “one of the most revolutionary product launches of all time” and describing the site as “not simply a website.” Critics have pointed out the apparent inconsistency between that rhetoric and the use of images taken overseas.
This image was taken in Madrid, Spain, despite Trump having long clashed with the Spanish government (America.gov)
Source Of The Photos
At least six of the photos were licensed through Stocksy, a company based in British Columbia, Canada, The Daily Beast reported. The Independent has contacted the National Design Studio for comment about the selection and sourcing of images for America.gov.
People Involved In The Project
At the launch event, Trump credited Joe Gebbia, the Airbnb co‑founder, as the architect of America.gov; Gebbia leads the National Design Studio as the government’s first chief design officer. The presentation also named 20‑year‑old Edward Coristine as the lead engineer on the project, a figure who has been reported to have worked with Elon Musk’s so‑called Department of Government Efficiency.
Other Notable Details
The site attracted earlier attention when it stated that Joe Biden was the winner of the 2020 presidential election, a finding at odds with former President Trump’s repeated claims. The launch also followed a private White House dinner hosting Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who has recently spoken about the need for tighter regulation of artificial intelligence.
Takeaway
While America.gov is positioned as a flagship digital product for the administration, the use of internationally shot stock photography and licensing from a Canada‑based provider has raised questions about the site’s presentation and sourcing choices. Officials were contacted for clarification, and the story highlights how visual assets on government platforms can draw public scrutiny.
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