Nonprofit Run by SpaceXAI Lawyer Pays Salaries of US Government Workers

A WIRED investigation found that at least two National Design Studio members, Amittai Groot and John Cafazza, are employed by the America by Design Foundation, run by SpaceXAI general counsel James Burnham. The nonprofit funds their work at the Office of Personnel Management, raising questions about whether NDS is skirting federal hiring rules.

• NDS was created in August 2025 under the America by Design initiative
• Groot and Cafazza are detailed to OPM under the Intergovernment Personnel Act for up to two years
• Groot began at NDS in April 2026; his OPM term runs May 5 to September 30, 2026
• NDS launched TrumpRx, RealFood.gov and America.gov