For the same reason some NOAA/NWS sites have “shutdown” front pages. Obviously the server is up. And the satellites are still orbiting. The shutdown page is to block viewing of images. They were lazy, if you have a deep url the info is still there. They’re just being pricks.
Exactly right
The IT folks aren’t to blame. The order to redirect came from the White House. They were given specific wording with not deviation allowed.