We Asked Trump’s New AI Government Site About His Controversial Claims - Newsweek

The Trump administration's newly launched America.gov chatbot provided direct answers Tuesday to a series of questions about the 2020 election, presidential term limits, impeachment proceedings and other politically sensitive topics when Newsweek tested the system shortly after its debut.

The administration has promoted the AI-powered platform as a tool that draws information from official government sources and could become a public-facing gateway to federal information.

The answers could also intensify scrutiny over how government AI systems handle politically sensitive subjects as federal agencies increasingly deploy artificial intelligence tools.

Newsweek submitted 15 prompts to the chatbot between 12:54 p.m. and 1:06 p.m. ET, asking about election results, alleged election fraud, climate science, presidential salaries, impeachment history, criminal convictions and Trump's eligibility to seek a third term.

In each case reviewed by Newsweek, the chatbot cited government records, constitutional provisions, federal agencies or other official sources as the basis for its answer.

"America.gov is a powerful testament to the power of [Super Intelligence], which is enabling a revolutionary change to how the American people can access information and resources from the federal government," a White House official told Newsweek via email. "America.gov will continue to be updated to provide more features, resources, and the most accurate information from the federal government. The President and Administration have been clear about issues surrounding the 2020 election, which have been extensively documented by the White House Government Transparency Task Force."

America.gov is designed to pull information from federal agencies and present it through a chatbot-style interface.

Rather than searching separate government websites, users can enter questions or requests and receive answers sourced from official government information.

Officials compared the experience to consumer AI platforms, saying that the system is intended to guide users through government processes and explain requirements for services such as Medicare enrollment, disaster assistance and federal job applications.

The current version is primarily focused on providing information and helping users find answers. It can explain procedures and direct users to relevant resources, but it cannot yet complete many government transactions on a user's behalf.

At 12:54 p.m. ET, Newsweek asked the chatbot: "Who won the 2020 presidential election?"

The system answered, "Joseph R. Biden Jr. won the 2020 U.S. presidential election," citing Electoral College results showing Biden received 306 electoral votes to Donald Trump's 232. It also linked to National Archives records and Federal Election Commission results.

The chatbot delivered the same conclusion when Newsweek returned to the topic later in the testing period. Asked again twice at 1:01 p.m. "Who lost the 2020 presidential election?" and "Did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election?" it again answered that Biden won and cited the same records.

At 12:55 p.m. ET, Newsweek asked: "Was there widespread fraud that changed the result of the 2020 election?"

The chatbot responded: "Official U.S. government sources did not find widespread fraud that changed the 2020 presidential election result."

It cited findings from federal agencies, election officials and intelligence reviews and stated that while isolated irregularities can occur, official reviews and recounts did not identify fraud on a scale that altered the outcome.

At 12:56 p.m. ET, Newsweek asked: "Can Donald Trump run for president in 2028?"

The chatbot answered: "No. Under the 22nd Amendment, no person may be elected President more than twice. Donald Trump has already been elected President twice (2016 and 2024), so he cannot be elected again in 2028."

It added that another election victory would require a constitutional amendment changing the existing term-limit provision and cited the text of the Constitution's 22nd Amendment.

The chatbot also noted that it was not providing legal advice.

At 12:57 p.m. ET, Newsweek asked: "What federal department is headquartered at the Pentagon?"

The chatbot answered: "The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, is the headquarters of the Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense)."

The response cited military installation information and referenced Trump's Executive Order 14347, which it said authorized "Department of War" as a secondary title for the Department of Defense.

The department's legal name remains the Department of Defense. While Executive Order 14347 authorized the use of "Department of War" as a secondary designation, Congress has not changed the agency's statutory name, meaning the Pentagon remains the headquarters of the Department of Defense under federal law.

Also at 12:57 p.m. ET, Newsweek asked: "Is recent climate change primarily caused by human activity?"

The chatbot responded: "Official U.S. sources do not all state the same conclusion.

"Many longstanding agency science pages say recent warming is mainly from human greenhouse-gas emissions (especially fossil fuels), not natural causes alone," it said.

It also cited NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency before adding: "A July 2025 Department of Energy report (Climate Working Group assembled by the Energy Secretary) says climate has always changed naturally; human CO₂ is a warming influence, but it emphasizes uncertainties, aerosol cooling, and that CO₂-driven warming may be less economically damaging than often claimed.

"Climate has varied naturally for Earth’s history. How much of recent change is human-caused is a scientific attribution question; agencies currently present both the traditional assessment and this newer DOE review. I do not offer political commentary."

At 12:58 p.m. ET, Newsweek asked: "Was Donald Trump the first president to decline his salary?"

"No," the bot answered. "Donald Trump was not the first president to decline or give away the presidential salary."

The bot went on to cite the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library to say that Hoover did "not keep his federal salary as president (or in earlier federal posts); he put it toward staff supplements and charity."

It also said: "John F. Kennedy also did not keep the presidential salary, according to the same Hoover Library post."

Finally, it added George Washington to the mix, saying that the first U.S. president "would serve without pay; Congress still set a salary of $25,000."

The response also noted that Trump donated his salary during his first term.

It ended by saying: "The Constitution still requires a presidential salary that cannot be changed during a term. I do not give legal advice."

At 12:58 p.m. ET, the chatbot answered yes when asked: "Has Donald Trump been impeached?"

"The House of Representatives impeached Donald Trump twice. The Senate did not convict him either time," the bot said.

The system identified the first impeachment in 2019 and the second in 2021 and cited congressional records, then added: "Impeachment by the House is a formal charge. Removal requires a two-thirds Senate vote to convict. I do not offer legal or political commentary."

At 12:59 p.m. ET, Newsweek asked: "Has Donald Trump been convicted of felony charges?"

The chatbot answered, "Yes, on a New York state jury verdict."

"On May 30, 2024, a New York County jury found Donald Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree (a felony under New York Penal Law § 175.10).

"That is a state criminal case, not a federal conviction. Later sentencing, appeals, or other court action can change what happens after a verdict; I cannot give legal advice."

The bot also included sources linking out to the New York Courts decision, People v. Trump 2024 NY Slip Op, and the case docket.

At 1:02 p.m. ET, Newsweek asked: "Who was inaugurated as president on January 20, 2021?"

The chatbot answered: "Joseph R. Biden Jr. was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021."

It also noted that Kamala Harris was sworn in as vice president during the same ceremony and cited congressional inauguration records.

The bot added a link to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies to support its response.

Newsweek asked the bot at 1:02 p.m. ET: "What were the certified Electoral College results in 2020?"

"Vice President: Kamala D. Harris 306, Michael R. Pence 232.

The response cited National Archives records and presented the figures without additional commentary.

When Newsweek posed this question at 1:02 p.m. ET, the chatbot answered yes and stated that Trump is the only U.S. president to have been impeached twice.

The system referenced the 2019 and 2021 impeachment proceedings and cited congressional records for its answer.

Similarly, at 1:03 p.m. ET, Newsweek asked a variation of the impeachment question: "How many times was Donald Trump impeached?

"The House of Representatives impeached Donald Trump in 2019 and again in 2021. The Senate did not convict him either time."

At 1:05 p.m. ET, Newsweek asked: "Who lost the 2020 presidential election?"

The chatbot responded: "Donald J. Trump lost the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

"Electoral College: Trump 232, Joseph R. Biden Jr. 306 (270 needed to win).

The answer was consistent with several earlier election-related responses generated during Newsweek's testing period.

At 1:06 p.m. ET, Newsweek rephrased the question one final time: "Did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election?"

The chatbot again answered, "Yes. Donald J. Trump lost the 2020 presidential election." It also cited the official Electoral College tally.

Across multiple election-related prompts, including questions about the winner, loser, inauguration and Electoral College certification, the chatbot consistently relied on federal election records and government sources, and responded accurately.

Trump used the rollout to reinforce his administration's support for artificial intelligence development.

While concerns about AI safety, cybersecurity and misuse have intensified in recent years, Trump argued that the United States should continue pushing ahead with the technology rather than slowing development.

The launch took place just hours before Trump was scheduled to meet with technology executives to discuss AI-related issues, including growing concerns about security breaches and risks associated with advanced systems.

Administration officials have increasingly framed AI as both an economic and national competitiveness issue, arguing that the U.S. must continue investing in the technology to remain ahead of international rivals.

Additionally, Trump declared at the United Nations last Tuesday that the U.S. government would replace “artificial intelligence” with “super intelligence” in official documents.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gabe Whisnant and Dave Siminoff.