President Donald Trump promoted a new government-run artificial intelligence chatbot called America.gov this week, telling supporters it would deliver straight answers from official sources. But testing of the tool shows its responses often contradict claims Trump himself has made on the campaign trail and in public remarks.
The chatbot, which draws its answers from published government documents and agency data, was unveiled as part of an effort to give Americans a single portal for federal information. Trump described it as a way to bypass what he calls biased media coverage.
"We have the real information now," Trump said. "Nobody can tell you different."
The problem, according to users who tested the tool, is that the government's own data does not always line up with the president's public statements.
When asked about the 2020 presidential election, the chatbot returned results stating that Joe Biden won and that no evidence of widespread fraud has been found by courts or election officials. Trump has continued to claim the election was stolen.
On tariffs, the tool cited economic analyses showing that import taxes are largely paid by American importers and passed to consumers, not by foreign exporters. Trump has repeatedly said foreign countries pay the cost.
Asked about job growth figures, the chatbot produced Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers that differ from figures Trump has cited at rallies. The tool also returned information on inflation and federal deficit trends that conflicts with statements from the White House.
The White House did not respond to questions about the discrepancies. A spokesperson for the General Services Administration, which helped build the platform, said the tool "pulls from verified government sources and does not have a political agenda."
The episode highlights a growing tension as governments adopt AI tools meant to answer public questions. Because the chatbots are trained on official records, they can surface facts that elected officials would rather not emphasize.
Several technology policy analysts said the situation is unusual but not surprising. Government data has long been public, but rarely has it been packaged into a tool that citizens can query directly and get plain-language answers.
"The documents were always there," said one analyst who reviewed the tool. "What's new is that anyone can ask a question and get the answer in five seconds."
It is unclear whether the administration will adjust the chatbot's responses or limit the topics it covers. The tool remains live and free to use.
