The AI-powered America.gov website launched by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday gave factual answers to several politically sensitive questions, including some that contradicted claims made by the president.According to Associated Press, the website, launched to make government information and services easier to access, initially answered questions about the 2020 election, Trump’s possible 2028 presidential bid, climate change and presidential salaries.On the 2020 election, the chatbot said: “Official federal sources do not show that widespread fraud changed the 2020 presidential election outcome. Isolated election crimes did occur and have been prosecuted.”Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him. Audits and recounts did not find widespread fraud that changed the result.Asked whether Trump could run for president again in 2028, the chatbot cited the 22nd Amendment, saying: “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 repeatedly floated the possibility of seeking a third term despite the constitutional limit.The chatbot also identified the Pentagon as “the headquarters of the department of defense”, despite Trump’s push to use the name Department of War.On climate change, the site 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 previously called climate change a “hoax”.The chatbot also challenged Trump’s claim that he was the first president to forgo his salary. It said that “some presidents have declined to keep that pay,” and listed George Washington, Herbert Hoover and John F Kennedy as presidents who had refused their salaries before Trump.Trump made the claim again during remarks on Tuesday, saying he was the first US president to give up his salary.
