America by Design Foundation, Run by SpaceXAI Lawyer, Pays Salaries of National Design Studio Staff
At least two members of the National Design Studio (NDS) are employed by the America by Design Foundation, a nonprofit run by James Burnham, general counsel of SpaceXAI. Amittai Groot and John Cafazza are detailed to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under the Intergovernment Personnel Act (IPA), with terms from May 2026. The foundation, registered in August 2025, remains opaque in funding and operations. NDS, created in August 2025 and led by Joe Gebbia, has launched government websites like TrumpRx and RealFood.gov. The arrangement raises concerns about private sector influence and regulatory evasion, echoing practices of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Experts question the use of IPA to bypass hiring protections and the lack of transparency in who pays government salaries.
Key facts
- The America by Design Foundation, a nonprofit run by James Burnham, employs at least two National Design Studio (NDS) members: Amittai Groot and John Cafazza.
- Groot and Cafazza are detailed to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under the Intergovernment Personnel Act (IPA).
- NDS, created in August 2025 and led by Joe Gebbia, has launched websites such as TrumpRx and RealFood.gov.
- The foundation was registered on August 25, 2025, and received tax exemption on September 22, 2025.
- OPM will reimburse the foundation $13,691 a month for Groot's work, while the foundation covers Cafazza's full employment cost.
- James Burnham is also president of Vallecito Capital and former general counsel of DOGE.
- The foundation applied for an H-1B visa for a 'member of technical staff,' with a start date of April 6, 2026.
- Experts like Don Moynihan and Erie Meyer criticize the lack of transparency and potential evasion of hiring protections.
Entities
Artists
- Elon Musk
- Joe Gebbia
- James Burnham
- Don Moynihan
- Edward Coristine
- Akash Bobba
- Zachary Terrell
- Amittai Groot
- John Cafazza
- Christina Bonarrigo
- Erie Meyer
- Baris Akis
- Yat Choi
- Jennifer Michelsen
- Matt Michelsen
- Donald Trump
Institutions
- SpaceXAI
- Department of Government Efficiency
- National Design Studio
- America by Design Foundation
- Airbnb
- WIRED
- University of Michigan
- White House
- Trump Media & Technology Group
- Truth Social
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Federalist Society
- Vallecito Capital
- King Street Legal
- Gothams LLC
- Gunnar
- Department of Labor
- Department of Homeland Security
- Internal Revenue Service
- Office of Personnel Management
- Social Security Administration
- Department of Health and Human Services
- The Guardian
Locations
- Alexandria
- Virginia
- Washington, DC
- United States
- Canada
- Turkey
- Florida
- Gaza Strip