DIThe Distraction Index

#investigation

22 events across 13 weeks

2Damage
14Hype
6Noise
11.5Avg Dmg
29.7Avg Hype
WEEK 82Jul 19 – 25
NOISE2026-07-23
Nearly 60 Lawmakers Urge Investigation of DC Five Aborted Babies
Enforcement Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
1.0
Hype
18.4
NOISE2026-07-22
DOJ Investigates Harvard International Financial Aid
Enforcement Actionsingle state · narrow
Damage
0.8
Hype
19.3
HYPE2026-07-20
DOJ Investigates Harvard's International Student Financial Aid Programs
Enforcement Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
7.7
Hype
31.8
HYPE2026-07-20
DOJ Sought Phone Records of NYT Journalists' Spouses and Family Members in Air Force One Leak Probe
Enforcement Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
18.6
Hype
30.3
NOISE2026-07-20
Trump Administration Calls for Investigation into Climate Change Legal Manual
Enforcement Actionfederal · broad
Damage
9.0
Hype
21.0
HYPE2026-07-20
Trump Administration Investigates Harvard's International Student Financial Aid
Enforcement Actionsingle state · narrow
Damage
0.9
Hype
47.5
HYPE2026-07-20
Behind Trump's Freedom Fuel: Mysterious Gas Chain with Legal Troubles
federal · narrow
Damage
2.7
Hype
34.0
WEEK 81Jul 12 – 18
NOISE2026-07-19
Texas Prosecutor Casts Doubt on ICE Account of Fatal Encounter
Information Operationsingle state · narrow
Damage
4.9
Hype
8.3
NOISE2026-07-15
Jack Smith Investigative Team Reviewed Messages Between Trump Officials and 44 Congress Members
Judicial/Legal Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
3.1
Hype
8.5
WEEK 68Apr 12 – 18
DMG2026-04-15
US Prosecutors Conduct Surprise Visit to Federal Reserve Office
Enforcement Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
40.9
Hype
30.0
WEEK 59Feb 8 – 14
HYPE2026-02-07
Epstein Files Reveal Trump Connection
Information Operationfederal · narrow
Damage
2.7
Hype
31.9
WEEK 54Jan 4 – 10
NOISE2026-01-09
Minnesota and US Officials Clash Over ICE Shooting Investigation
Enforcement Actionsingle state · narrow
Damage
10.6
Hype
23.1
HYPE2026-01-09
Fatal ICE Shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis
Enforcement Actionlocal · narrow
Damage
29.3
Hype
32.9
WEEK 53Dec 28 – Jan 3
HYPE2026-01-01
DOJ Seeks 400 Attorneys to Review Epstein Records
Enforcement Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
2.7
Hype
31.2
HYPE2026-01-01
Minnesota Child Care Fraud Scandal and Federal Response
Enforcement Actionsingle state · moderate
Damage
8.7
Hype
47.2
WEEK 51Dec 14 – 20
HYPE2025-12-19
Oversight Democrats Release New Epstein Photos
Information Operationfederal · narrow
Damage
0.5
Hype
40.0
WEEK 49Nov 30 – Dec 6
HYPE2025-12-05
FBI Arrests January 6 Pipe Bomb Suspect After 4-Year Delay
Enforcement Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
7.1
Hype
50.8
WEEK 48Nov 23 – 29
HYPE2025-11-28
Afghan National Identified as DC Shooting Suspect with CIA Connections
federal · narrow
Damage
6.0
Hype
31.4
WEEK 35Aug 24 – 30
HYPE2025-08-30
John Bolton Investigation Raises Retribution Questions
Enforcement Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
17.8
Hype
27.9
WEEK 34Aug 17 – 23
HYPE2025-08-23
FBI Searches Home and Office of Former Trump Adviser John Bolton
Enforcement Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
18.6
Hype
28.3
WEEK 28Jul 6 – 12
HYPE2025-07-12
George Mason University Faces Anti-DEI Investigation
Enforcement Actionsingle state · narrow
Damage
17.4
Hype
27.6
WEEK 13Mar 23 – 29
DMG2025-03-29
Trump FCC Commissioner Opens Investigation Into Disney and ABC for Diversity Policies
Enforcement Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
42.8
Hype
32.2