A straightforward N-trifluoroethylation of anilines has been developed based on silver-catalyzed N-H insertions with 2,2,2-trifluorodiazoethane (CF3CHN2). Mechanistically, the reaction is proposed to involve migratory insertion of a silver carbene as the key step. In contrast, when amides are employed as the substrates under similar reaction conditions, O-trifluoroethylation occurs to afford trifluoroethyl imidates.