DIThe Distraction Index

#military

41 events across 20 weeks

4Damage
21Hype
16Noise
10.3Avg Dmg
25.6Avg Hype
WEEK 84Aug 2 – 8
HYPE2026-08-03
Trump Administration Creates Military Spouse Commission
Policy Changefederal · narrow
Damage
0.0
Hype
25.0
WEEK 82Jul 19 – 25
NOISE2026-07-24
Montana Senate delegation supports Trump on Iran war
single state · narrow
Damage
0.0
Hype
15.2
HYPE2026-07-24
Trump threatens major escalation in Iran military campaign
Policy Changeinternational · broad
Damage
23.9
Hype
63.7
HYPE2026-07-22
Trump Vows Strikes on Iran Over Nuclear Activity
Policy Changeinternational · broad
Damage
11.4
Hype
45.6
NOISE2026-07-20
Iranian Strike Kills Four US Troops
Damage
0.0
Hype
17.5
HYPE2026-07-20
Trump Vows Iran Will 'Pay' After US Service Members Killed
Norm Erosion Onlyinternational · moderate
Damage
10.0
Hype
46.0
WEEK 81Jul 12 – 18
NOISE2026-07-14
Trump Urges Netanyahu to Pull Israeli Troops from Syria and Lebanon
Policy Changeinternational · moderate
Damage
0.0
Hype
18.5
WEEK 80Jul 5 – 11
NOISE2026-07-07
Trump Calls for $350 Billion Defense Spending Legislation
Resource Reallocationfederal · broad
Damage
0.6
Hype
18.5
WEEK 70Apr 26 – May 2
HYPE2026-04-26
Trump Military Ban Impacts Decorated Service Members
Policy Changefederal · moderate
Damage
22.3
Hype
42.8
WEEK 63Mar 8 – 14
NOISE2026-03-08
Noise: Pentagon and Military Commentary
Damage
0.0
Hype
37.3
WEEK 62Mar 1 – 7
HYPE2026-02-26
NOISE: Turkey F-16 Crash Investigation
international · narrow
Damage
—
Hype
0.0
WEEK 61Feb 22 – 28
DMG2026-02-24
Defense Secretary Hegseth Pressures Anthropic on AI Military Use
Resource Reallocationfederal · narrow
Damage
27.2
Hype
21.5
DMG2026-02-21
Trump Escalates Iran Military Tensions
Policy Changeinternational · broad
Damage
47.8
Hype
25.5
WEEK 60Feb 15 – 21
NOISE2026-02-21
NORAD Intercepts Russian Aircraft Near Alaska
federal · narrow
Damage
0.0
Hype
13.3
HYPE2026-02-20
Poland Withdraws from Antipersonnel Mine Treaty to Defend Against Russia
Policy Changeinternational · narrow
Damage
11.6
Hype
28.3
HYPE2025-12-22
Trump Announces 'Golden Fleet' Naval Expansion Plan
Resource Reallocationfederal · moderate
Damage
7.4
Hype
30.7
WEEK 59Feb 8 – 14
HYPE2026-02-07
Iran Vows to Target US Bases if Attacked
international · moderate
Damage
2.5
Hype
27.6
DMG2026-02-07
Trump Uses Military Leaders for Diplomatic Efforts on Iran and Ukraine
Personnel Captureinternational · broad
Damage
28.1
Hype
23.1
HYPE2026-02-06
Trump Orders Defense Spending Prioritization in Weapons Sales
Policy Changeinternational · moderate
Damage
10.6
Hype
39.0
WEEK 51Dec 14 – 20
HYPE2025-12-19
Trump Sends Troops $1,776 Bonus Checks in Christmas Speech
Resource Reallocationfederal · moderate
Damage
13.4
Hype
36.9
NOISE2025-12-19
GOP House Committee Chair Signals Post Mortem on Venezuela Drug Boat Strike
Enforcement Actioninternational · narrow
Damage
0.3
Hype
2.2
WEEK 44Oct 26 – Nov 1
NOISE2025-10-30
South Korea Nuclear Submarine Technology Transfer
Policy Changeinternational · narrow
Damage
11.2
Hype
9.0
HYPE2025-10-30
US Weighs Show of Force in South China Sea Before Xi Meeting
Policy Changeinternational · narrow
Damage
8.4
Hype
26.3
NOISE2025-10-30
US Military Withdrawing Troops from Eastern Europe
Policy Changeinternational · moderate
Damage
14.9
Hype
23.7
NOISE2025-10-30
Military Strikes Kill 57 in Naval Operations
Enforcement Actioninternational · narrow
Damage
20.3
Hype
10.4
WEEK 36Aug 31 – Sep 6
HYPE2025-09-06
GOP Rep Alleges Leak Behind Botched SEAL Mission in North Korea
Information Operationinternational · narrow
Damage
14.0
Hype
46.6
HYPE2025-09-06
Trump Executive Order Attempts to Rename Department of Defense as Department of War
Policy Changefederal · narrow
Damage
4.0
Hype
33.3
HYPE2025-09-06
Trump Sends Fighter Jets to Puerto Rico Amid Caribbean Tensions
Enforcement Actioninternational · narrow
Damage
6.4
Hype
27.5
HYPE2025-09-06
Rubio Warns Cartels as US Strikes Venezuelan Boat
Enforcement Actioninternational · narrow
Damage
22.9
Hype
25.9
NOISE2025-09-06
Defense Department Warns Venezuela After Provocative Jet Incident
Enforcement Actioninternational · narrow
Damage
2.4
Hype
18.2
HYPE2025-09-06
Chicago Prepares for Increased ICE Arrests and Federal Troop Deployment
Enforcement Actionsingle state · moderate
Damage
17.7
Hype
29.7
WEEK 25Jun 15 – 21
HYPE2025-06-14
Trump Military Parade on Army 250th Birthday
Norm Erosion Onlyfederal · broad
Damage
11.9
Hype
33.5
NOISE2025-06-14
Veterans Protest Against Army Parade on Capitol Hill
Norm Erosion Onlyfederal · narrow
Damage
5.8
Hype
13.0
WEEK 24Jun 8 – 14
NOISE2025-06-14
Tech Executives Sign Up for Army Reserve
Norm Erosion Onlyfederal · narrow
Damage
0.5
Hype
22.9
HYPE2025-06-14
Army 250th Anniversary Parade in Washington DC
Norm Erosion Onlyfederal · narrow
Damage
2.7
Hype
32.0
WEEK 23Jun 1 – 7
NOISE2025-06-07
Defense Secretary Hegseth Issues Warning on China-Taiwan Threat
Norm Erosion Onlyinternational · broad
Damage
0.0
Hype
18.4
NOISE2025-06-07
Veterans Rally Against Planned VA Cuts
Resource Reallocationfederal · moderate
Damage
11.8
Hype
10.8
WEEK 19May 4 – 10
DMG2025-05-10
Military Dealing with Order to Remove Transgender Troops
Enforcement Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
37.2
Hype
19.5
WEEK 18Apr 27 – May 3
NOISE2025-05-03
Military Parade Scheduled for Trump's Birthday to Celebrate Army 250th Anniversary
Norm Erosion Onlyfederal · narrow
Damage
3.3
Hype
15.2
WEEK 14Mar 30 – Apr 5
HYPE2025-04-05
DEI Purge at Naval Academy Library
Norm Erosion Onlyfederal · narrow
Damage
6.9
Hype
31.4
WEEK 9Feb 23 – Mar 1
HYPE2025-03-01
Offutt Wing Scrubs Biden-Era Social Media of DEI Content
Norm Erosion Onlyfederal · narrow
Damage
2.5
Hype
24.8