Some of the sites were related to political flashpoints, including reproductive rights and diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI.
The White House has addressed some of the changes and said that several pages were temporarily down as part of the transition to the new administration's website, but would be restored.
Here are the sites that went dark this week and what the White House has said about them. Press representatives from the White House did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
La Casa Blanca
The Spanish-language White House website, La Casa Blanca, was returning a 404 page after Trump took office. The 404 page initially included a button that said "Go Home," but it was updated to read "Go To Home Page."
A White House spokesperson told The Associated Press the administration was "committed to bringing back online the Spanish translation section of the website."
NBC reported that the Spanish-language version of the White House website took months to relaunch at the start of President Barack Obama's term and Trump's first term.
Reproductiverights.gov
Reproductiverights.gov was returning an error message as of Friday. The public awareness website was launched in 2022 by the Department of Health and Human Services during the Biden administration.
A version of the website still visible on internet archives showed it included information on birth control, abortion, and preventative health services, like breast and cervical cancer screenings.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on why the site was down.
Federal agencies' DEI webpages
The DEI pages on several federal agencies' websites disappeared this week. Trump on Tuesday ordered all federal DEI employees to be placed on leave as the agencies work on dismantling their DEI efforts.
Trump's memo also instructed agencies to remove any public-facing webpages on DEI to be removed by Wednesday evening. Some agencies removed their DEI pages even before the memo was issued.
During a speech delivered Thursday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said, "My administration has taken action to abolish all discriminatory diversity, equity and inclusion nonsense. And these are policies that were absolute nonsense throughout the government and the private sector."
White House pages on the Constitution and Presidential biographies
Several former pages on the White House website were returning 404 messages, including pages on the Constitution and on presidential biographies. In a statement to USA Today, a White House spokesperson said the removals were not intentional and were temporary.
"It's day two. 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. We are committed to reloading that content in a short timeline," Harrison Fields, principal White House deputy press secretary, told the outlet.
Page for White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
The page for the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention was also returning a 404 message this week, the gun-violence prevention organization Brady said, raising questions about whether the office was being shut entirely.
Some members of Congress expressed concern over the webpage being shuttered, including New York Rep. Tim Kennedy and Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost.The NRA posted on X in favor of the move and called the office "misleading" in an X post.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment from BI about the site.
Wildfires in Los Angeles raged through the star-studded Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Paris Hilton, Miles Teller, and Anthony Hopkins were among the celebrities who lost their homes.
The average house price in the northern LA area is around $4.5 million.
The biggest of the wildfires in Los Angeles has been burning the Pacific Palisades neighborhoodfor over a week, razing one of the nation's most prosperous neighborhoods.
Stars including Paris Hilton, Milo Ventimiglia, Billy Crystal, Mel Gibson, Miles Teller, and Anthony Hopkins, have lost their homes.
The area, between Santa Monica and Malibu in northern Los Angeles, is home to some of the country's most expensive real estate. The average house price is about $4.5 million, according to Realtor.com data.
Much of it has been on fire since January 7, when a small blaze in the neighborhood exploded to engulf many thousands of acres, prompting evacuation orders for tens of thousands.
As of Tuesday evening the Palisades Fire had burned some 24,000 acres. It was 18% contained, according to Cal Fire.
Bella Hadid said her childhood home was destroyed
Bella Hadid posted a photo on her Instagram story on January 10 showing her childhood Malibu home in flames.
She wrote: "Thanks to everyone reaching out. The memories we made in this house, the love my mama put into building it, the family times, the stories, the friends, the love. I will miss you 3903 carbon canyon rd."
The house was originally owned by Yolanda Hadid, the model's mother, and was featured in "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." People reported that it was sold for $19.5 million in 2015.
Milo Ventimiglia of 'Heroes' watched his home burn down on security cameras
Actor Milo Ventimiglia tells CBS News’ @TonyDokoupil he helplessly watched his home burn to the ground through security cameras. The 47-year-old father-to-be returned to his property to see what was left. pic.twitter.com/jidcR5ZAsY
Milo Ventimiglia, known for starring in "This is Us" and "Heroes," watched his home in Malibu burn via security cameras with Jarah Ventimiglia, his wife, who is nine months pregnant.
Speaking near his home on January 9, he described watching his house burn down to CBS: "I think there's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real, and this is happening.' And then, at a certain point, we just turned it off. What good is it to continue watching? We kind of accepted the loss."
Bryan Greenberg confirmed on Instagram that he and Jamie Chung, his wife, lost their house
Actors Bryan Greenberg and Jamie Chung, who are married, confirmed on January 9 that their home had burned down but that their family was safe.
Greenberg shared a photo of the wreckage on his Instagram story, writing: "It was all a dream. Thankfully the family is safe. Thank you to all of the firefighters risking their lives. Stay safe out there."
Mel Gibson said his house burned down while he was away recording 'The Joe Rogan Experience'
Mel Gibson told NewsNation on January 9, that he learned about the fires in his Malibu neighborhood while recording an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" in Texas.
He said: "I was doing the Rogan podcast, and kind of ill at ease while we were talking, because I knew my neighborhood was on fire, so I thought, I wonder if my place is still there. But when I got home, sure enough, it wasn't there."
Gibson added: "Obviously, it's kind of devastating. It's emotional. You live there for a long time, and you had all your stuff. "
Paris Hilton said she 'built precious memories' at her destroyed Malibu home
On January 8, Paris Hilton shared on Instagram that she was "heartbroken beyond words" to learn that her Malibu home had been destroyed in the fire.
"Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience," Hilton wrote. Although the loss felt "overwhelming," she said she was grateful that her family and pets were safe.
Hilton returned to her home on January 9 and posted a video of the wreckage on Instagram.
In the caption, she said: "The heartbreak is truly indescribable."
Miles Teller and his wife evacuated before the flames consumed their property
Miles Teller, a star of "Top Gun: Maverick," also lost his home. His wife, Keleigh Teller, shared on Instagram on January 10 that the couple's Pacific Palisades home was destroyed.
Alongside a series of photos — one showing the remains of their home — she wrote: "I wish I grabbed my wedding dress."
"Wish I did a lot different but it doesn't matter, stay safe, get out," she added.
The home of Jennifer Grey, the 'Dirty Dancing' star 'burnt to the ground'
Stella Gregg, Jennifer Grey's daughter, told followers on her Instagram Story on January 8 that her mother's home "burnt to the ground," but confirmed that the actor and her dog were safe.
On January 10, Gregg posted: "Was lucky enough to call Samoa my home for a bit. Thank you mama for making it what it was and allowing me to make such beautiful memories there. Home isn't walls and frames. Home is family. Stay safe. Hug your loved ones. Don't be afraid to ask for help."
"My family and I have safely evacuated, and we are deeply grateful to be unharmed," she wrote. Rivers also shared more details about her evacuation in an interview with CNN, and urged others to be prepared.
"To be 100% honest, I grabbed my mom's Emmy, a photo of my dad, and a drawing that my mother had done of me and my son," she said.
Billy Crystal's home, where he'd lived with his family for 46 years, was burned to the ground
"We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can't be taken away. We are heartbroken of course but with the love of our children and friends we will get through this," Crystal said in a statement to Business Insider.
"The Pacific Palisades is a resilient community of amazing people and we know in time it will rise again. It is our home," he said.
Beyoncé's mom, Tina Knowles, said her Malibu bungalow was destroyed in the fires
Tina Knowles said in a post on Instagram that her coastal Malibu bungalow had been burned down in one of the blazes.
"It was my favorite place, my sanctuary, my sacred Happy Place. Now it is gone," she wrote.
Knowles, who is also mom to singer Solange Knowles, went on to thank the "brave men and women in our fire department who risked their lives in dangerous conditions."
"This could have been so much worse without the dedication of the disaster workers and first responders," she added.
Cary Elwes said he and his family evacuated the area safely, but said their house was destroyed
On January 8, "The Princess Bride" actor wrote: "Sadly we did lose our home but we are grateful to have survived this truly devastating fire."
Ricki Lake said that she escaped from her house with her dog and 'not much else'
Ricki Lake, the star of the original "Hairspray" movie and her self-titled talk show, wrote in an Instagram post on January 8 that her "dream home" overlooking Malibu was "gone."
In the caption, Lake said she and her husband escaped from the house with Dolly, their dog, "and not much else."
He said on Instagram that he had left his Malibu home on January 7with his wife, Marilou, and their dog, Trixie. He described it as the "most horrific fire since '93."
On January 12, he thanked Instagram followers for their concern and said that his home "amazingly" survived.
Jamie Lee Curtis said 'many' friends lost their homes
On January 8, "Halloween" actor Jamie Lee Curtis appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and said, holding back tears: "Where I live is on fire right now."
She added: "It's just a catastrophe in Southern California. Obviously, there have been horrific fires in many places. This is literally where I live. Everything — the market I shop in, the schools my kids go to, friends.
"Many, many, many, many, many friends now have lost their homes."
Kate Beckinsale wrote in an Instagram post on January 8 that "the whole of the Palisades being destroyed is unthinkably horrific.
"My daughter and I lived there for most of her childhood and most of her childhood is gone."
Haley Joel Osment thanked those who 'helped as we lose our home'
On January 9, the actor Haley Joel Osment shared that he had lost his home to the Eaton fire in Altadena.
Osment is best known for childhood performances in movies like "The Sixth Sense" and "A.I. Artificial Intelligence."
Writing on Instagram, he said: "My heart would be so full every time I drove home - it was such a special place - I loved living there - our forest and our mountains and our homes - all gone."
R&B singer Jhené Aiko said she lost her home and all her possessions
Aiko shared photos of her home on fire in a now-deleted Instagram post. In a separate Instagram post, she said she wanted to "let suffering be a gift, an act of compassion."
"Me and my children's home is gone, burned to the ground with all of our things inside" Aiko wrote on Instagram. "Lord have mercy. Thankful we still have each other. Starting from scratch. My heart is heavy."
Beloved Hollywood stars like Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman, and Jeff Bridges also lost their homes
Photos obtained by People showed actors John Goodman, Anna Faris, and Anthony Hopkins lost their homes due to the fires.
On January 11, Hopkins appeared to confirm the reports on Instagram. He wrote: "As we all struggle to heal from the devastation of the fires, it's important we remember that the only thing we take with us is the love we give."
The home actor Jeff Bridges shared with his family in Malibu was also lost, the Associated Press reported.
TMZ meanwhile published footage of Adam Brody and Leighton Meester's home in flames, as well as a photo of Anna Faris' home in ashes.
"I'm so sad our house is gone. I wish I could have gone back and got more," Montag said as she broke down crying in a video she posted on TikTok on January 8.
The songwriter Diane Warren, a 15-time Oscar nominee who has worked with stars like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, shared on Instagram that her beach house of nearly 30 years was likely gone.
"It looks like it was lost in the fire last nite. There's a rainbow shining on it which I'm taking as a sign of hope for all creatures who have been affected by this tragedy," Warren wrote.
Meanwhile, Eugene Levy said he got stuck while trying to leave his neighborhood on January 7.
"The smoke looked pretty black and intense over Temescal Canyon," Levy told The Los Angeles Times. "I couldn't see any flames but the smoke was very dark."
According to photos obtained by People, the "Schitt's Creek" star's home was almost completely leveled by the following day, with only a stone chimney and a charred row of hedges left standing.
Chet Hanks, the son of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, wrote in an Instagram story on January 7: "The neighborhood I grew up in is burning to the ground rn. Pray for the Palisades."
Joshua Jackson, Britney Spears, and Mandy Moore all spoke out about the devastation of losing their homes
"Dawson's Creek" star Joshua Jackson's Topanga Canyon home also burned down in the blaze.
"First and most importantly, all the people closest to me affected by the fire are ok. My daughter, my family, my neighbors all made it out safely," Jackson said in a statement to BI. "Sadly my beautiful home did not survive the fires. But today, I feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by the people I love."
Britney Spears told her Instagram followers on January 9 that she had evacuated her home.
The singer said that she had left her home in LA and was "driving 4 hours to a hotel."
She added that she had been unable to charge her phone "the past two days" as she had no electricity.
Actor and singer Mandy Moore said in an Instagram story posted on January 7 that she was also among the residents ordered to evacuate. By January 8, the singer said in a follow-up story that she was unsure if her home "made it."
She wrote in an Instagram post: "My children's school is gone. Our favorite restaurants, leveled. So many friends and loved ones have lost everything too."
Greg Wells, the music producer on the "Wicked" movie, told Variety on January 12 that he had a "state-of-the-art" studio in his home that was destroyed in the fire.
He said: "I just have to remind myself, it's really down to the people and to the ideas, and none of that stuff makes a song better. So I'm not gonna let it define me."