Fact Check: Did Trump say the America.gov website was a 'sh*tty' accomplishment as president?

WASHINGTON, DC: An alleged claim about President Donald Trump’s remarks on the new America.gov website has drawn attention online. The discussion centers on a comment Trump made while talking about the website and whether it could rank among major accomplishments of his administration. The remark has since circulated on social media without the full context of the conversation. Let’s fact-check the claim.

Claim:  Trump said the America.gov website was a 'sh*tty' accomplishment

Trump appeared in a lighthearted mood on Tuesday morning, September 29, as he helped unveil America.gov, a new AI-powered website designed to give Americans quick answers about government services.

The site serves as a new “front door” to the government and aims to make tasks such as ordering passports, changing names, and reserving national park campsites easier.

Trump said several technology experts had praised the website in recent days and said he was proud of it. However, he said he did not want to exaggerate its importance. “They say this is one of the most incredible things that your government has done. I don’t think so. I think it’s damn good,” Trump said.

Trump then recalled someone telling him that the website would become the biggest thing he had accomplished in government. He responded that he did not think it would be, while again calling the website “damn good.” His comments drew laughter and applause from people in the crowd.

Trump continued with a joke about his presidency, saying, “If it is the biggest thing I’ve ever done, I’ve done a sh*tty job as president, okay?”

Fact Check: The claim is misleading

The claim is misleading. President Trump did use the phrase “sh*tty job as president,” but he was not directly calling the America.gov website a “sh*tty” accomplishment.

Trump made the remark conditionally while responding to a suggestion that the new website could become his biggest accomplishment in government.

The post's community note said, "Trump’s full remark was conditional: “If it is the biggest thing I’ve ever done, I’ve done a sh*tty job as president.” He was responding to a suggestion that the new America.gov website might be his biggest government accomplishment."

Trump was discussing the website’s launch and its potential role in helping Americans access government services. He said he considered the site “damn good” but questioned whether it would become his biggest achievement. His “sh*tty job as president” comment came as a joke about what it would mean if the website ended up being the biggest thing he had accomplished as president.

The shortened version of the remark can therefore give a different impression from the full exchange. Trump criticized neither the website nor its quality with the “sh*tty” phrase. Instead, he used the phrase to make a broader point about his record as president.