WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. government has initiated a domain name switch, redirecting all internet traffic from Defense.gov, the official domain used by the Department of Defense for over two decades, to the newly activated WAR.gov. This change marks a significant shift in the federal government’s branding and domain name strategy, aligning closely with the plan to reintroduce the historical name “Department of War” in official communications by 2025.
Defense.gov has served as the Department of Defense’s digital portal since 2002, and its continuous archiving makes it one of the most historically significant .gov domains in the U.S. government roster. WAR.gov’s activation timeline is clear: it was first indexed by the Wayback Machine in September 2025, perfectly coinciding with Executive Order 14347 authorizing the use of “Department of War” as the Department of Defense’s external name.
A Wayback Machine timeline showing more than 120,000 archived captures of Defense.gov from 2002 through 2025, illustrating its long-standing role as the Department of Defense’s primary domain before the recent transition to WAR.gov.
This domain name switch is not merely a modernization upgrade, but a new asset specifically designed to support the government’s updated information delivery strategy. It is noteworthy that the U.S. Department of Defense, which has historically used neutral terms such as “defense” and “security” to build its brand image, has now shifted to the straightforward term “WAR,” representing an unprecedented breakthrough in its official communication tone.
A Wayback Machine timeline showing WAR.gov first appearing in the archive in September 2025, with just 187 captures through December 2025 – highlighting how recently the domain was activated compared to the decades-long history of Defense.gov.
Although federal law still recognizes the agency’s legal name as the “Department of Defense,” its digital infrastructure has fully adopted “Department of War” branding. This duality of legal name and online brand identity highlights the deep interplay between brand building, governance norms, and strategic communication behind this domain name change. Currently, WAR.gov has officially replaced Defense.gov as the new online identity of the U.S. Department of Defense.
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