Changes to the White House website were made almost immediately once President Donald Trump’s second administration took office.
The most visible modification on Jan. 20 was the bold “AMERICA IS BACK” message that now dominates the homepage, accompanied by a brief quote from President Trump.
This new addition is paired with links to recently signed executive actions and Trump’s presidential statements. However, what some visitors quickly noticed were the omissions.
For days after inauguration, users were met with a 404 Page Not Found message when attempting to access the Constitution, Bill of Rights and other government initiatives on the White House website.
Before the restoration, White House Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields assured the public that the changes were part of an ongoing website redesign, and the affected resources would be made accessible again soon.
“We are in the process of developing, editing and tweaking the White House website. As part of this ongoing work, some of the archived content on the website went dormant,” Fields said.
Valeriia Popova, a professor specializing in political communications, urged those concerned to remain calm despite the website changes.
“The fact that Donald Trump’s team is redoing the website shouldn’t be surprising,” she said. “It will reflect his agenda in the coming days and weeks. Just buckle up.”
One change Popova pointed out as “a little bit more tricky” is the removal of the Spanish-language version of the website, which had been a fixture under past administrations, including Trump’s first term.
The page was removed alongside other accessibility resources and references to government Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
These changes echo promises made by Trump on the campaign trail.
Lori Torres Whitt, a member of the Executive Board of the Chicago Teachers Union emphasized the real-world impact on the Spanish-speaking community.
“Removing the Spanish version limits accessibility,” Whitt said, emphasizing that the removal complicates the ability of many to navigate essential government services.
According to Statista, there were roughly 57 million Spanish speakers in the United States as of 2023, many of whom are legal U.S. citizens with limited English proficiency.
The removal of accessibility features and alternative navigation tools, to accommodate language differences as well as disabilities, has, according to some observers, pointed to a push to dismantle progressive initiatives.
Among the removed pages were others that provided information on initiatives frequently attacked by Republican lawmakers, such as the removal of information on reproductive rights for women and pages reaffirming the executive branch’s commitment to protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.
However, according to the Trump administration, the removal of these pages is simply part of a greater effort to shift American politics and defend American women from “ political extremism.”
Removing resources like the reproductive rights page has sparked concern among advocacy groups.
Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson addressed the situation as one of “profound uncertainty.”
Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, vowed to challenge any harmful policies that may follow.
Copy edited by Aniyah Genama
