The Distraction Index
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Mar 1 – Mar 7, 2026
Week 62🔒 FROZEN
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⚠️Smokescreen: Education Department Features Charlie Kirk in Educator Recognition Banners → Trump Administration Drafts Emergency Executive Order to Seize Control of Elections · SI: 70.0 CRITICAL
87
-13
Events
10
-16
List A
49
+24
List B
28
-21
Noise
14.9
-0.6
Avg A
31.9
+11.2
Avg B
LOOK AT THIS
Trump Administration Drafts Emergency Executive Order to Seize Control of Elections · Trump Administration Sues States for Voter Information in Widening Federal Election Enforcement Campaign
THEY WANT YOU TO LOOK AT
Education Department Features Charlie Kirk in Educator Recognition Banners · Trump Executive Order Promoting Glyphosate Production Angers MAHA and RFK Jr.
This Week's Key Stories
Top Damage
Trump Administration Drafts Emergency Executive Order to Seize Control of Elections

Pro-Trump lawyers and election deniers have coordinated with the White House on a draft executive order declaring a national emergency to seize control of US elections, including potential bans on mail-in voting and voting machines ahead of midterms. Trump publicly denied awareness of the draft order on February 27-28. The order would unconstitutionally nationalize election administration, a power reserved to states under the Constitution.

23 sources
A
100.0
Constitutional Damage
B
68.3
Media Hype
Top Distraction
Education Department Features Charlie Kirk in Educator Recognition Banners

Education Department released banners recognizing Charlie Kirk alongside historic educators, signaling institutional capture and politicization of education policy.

1 source
A
15.7
Constitutional Damage
B
82.3
Media Hype
Smokescreen Pair
Education Department Features Charlie Kirk in Educator Recognition Banners
is obscuring
Trump Administration Drafts Emergency Executive Order to Seize Control of Elections
SI: 70.0
Full Index
Real Damage
Constitutional Threats · 10 events
#1
Trump Administration Drafts Emergency Executive Order to Seize Control of Elections
2026-02-26· 23 sources-32 UNDERCOVERED
A
100.0
B
68.3
#2
Trump Administration Sues States for Voter Information in Widening Federal Election Enforcement Campaign
2026-02-26· 2 sources-26 BALANCED
A
83.2
B
56.8
#3
FBI Seizure of Fulton County Ballots Raises Election Integrity Concerns
2026-02-26· 1 source-33 UNDERCOVERED
A
72.1
B
38.8
#4
Trump's DOJ Sues Utah Lt. Gov. Henderson for Voter RecordsMIXED
2026-02-27· 1 source-1 BALANCED
A
58.0
B
56.8
#5
Trump Administration Sues New Jersey Over Voter Information
2026-02-27· 1 source-19 BALANCED
A
58.0
B
39.3
#6
Trump Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship Challenged in Court
2026-02-26· 2 sources-39 UNDERCOVERED
A
50.3
B
11.0
#7
Appeals Court Lifts Injunction on Trump's Collective Bargaining Rollback for Federal WorkersMIXED
2026-02-26· 4 sources-2 BALANCED
A
48.5
B
46.3
#8
Judge Blocks Release of Trump Documents Case Report
2026-02-23· 1 source-20 BALANCED
A
47.0
B
27.0
#9
Appeals Court Challenges Trump Administration Consumer Watchdog Shutdown
2026-02-24· 1 source-16 BALANCED
A
45.7
B
29.5
#10
Trump Administration Sues New Jersey Over ICE Access to State PropertyMIXED
2026-02-24· 1 source-3 BALANCED
A
31.5
B
28.3
Distractions
Manufactured Outrage · 49 events
#1
Education Department Features Charlie Kirk in Educator Recognition Banners
2026-03-02· 1 source+67 DISTRACTION
A
15.7
B
82.3
#2
Trump Executive Order Promoting Glyphosate Production Angers MAHA and RFK Jr.
2026-02-24· 8 sources+72 DISTRACTION
A
4.8
Noise Floor
Low Impact · 28 events
#1
United States Terminates IEEPA-Based Tariffs Following Supreme Court Decision
2026-03-02· 1 source
—
#2
Trump Administration Drops Defense of Law Firm Sanctions
2026-03-02· 2 sources
—
#3
NOISE: GOP Meddling in Senate Democratic Primary
2026-03-02· 2 sources
—
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B
76.8
#3
NOISE: MAGA Infighting and Commentary
2026-03-02· 2 sources+76 DISTRACTION
A
0.0
B
75.8
#4
NOISE: Trump Rhetoric on Dictatorship and Democratic Norms
2026-03-02· 1 source+76 DISTRACTION
A
—
B
75.8
#5
House Democrats Sound Alarm on Trump's Election Threats
2026-02-27· 1 source+71 DISTRACTION
A
0.0
B
71.3
#6
Iran Strikes Impact Energy Markets and Oil Prices
2026-03-02· 2 sources+49 DISTRACTION
A
21.6
B
70.8
#7
Trump Says He Must Be Involved in Selecting New Iran Leader
2026-03-05· 1 source+65 DISTRACTION
A
4.6
B
70.0
#8
Trump Demands Israeli President Pardon Netanyahu
2026-03-05· 1 source+67 DISTRACTION
A
0.0
B
67.3
#9
USA Rugby Updates Gender Policy to Comply with Executive Order
2026-03-02· 1 source+59 DISTRACTION
A
8.2
B
66.8
#10
NOISE: Trump Ties Iran Strikes to Election Interference Claims
2026-03-01· 1 source+51 DISTRACTION
A
11.9
B
62.5
#11
Trump Administration Removes DEI Guidance in Education but Crackdown Continues
2026-02-26· 1 source+54 DISTRACTION
A
7.6
B
61.3
#12
Trump Administration Targets Pregnant ICE Detainees with Inhumane Treatment
2026-03-02· 2 sources+35 DISTRACTION
A
25.0
B
60.0
#13
Trump Honors Three Soldiers with Medal of Honor
2026-03-02· 1 source+60 DISTRACTION
A
0.0
B
59.8
#14
Congress Searches for Shutdown Off-Ramp as DHS Employees Start Missing Pay
2026-03-02· 1 source+45 DISTRACTION
A
12.8
B
58.0
#15
Trump Replaces Homeland Security Secretary Noem with GOP Senator Markwayne Mullin
2026-03-05· 1 source+50 DISTRACTION
A
7.6
B
57.5
#16
Trump Administration Proposes New Student Loan Repayment Plan
2026-03-02· 1 source+51 DISTRACTION
A
6.9
B
57.5
#17
SAVE America Act Voting Restrictions Proposed
2026-02-27· 1 source+12 BALANCED
A
45.3
B
57.3
#18
RFK Jr. Pushes Medical Schools to Teach More About Nutrition
2026-03-05· 1 source+53 DISTRACTION
A
2.5
B
55.8
#19
Judge Rules Against Trump Administration Refugee Arrests in Minnesota
2026-02-28· 1 source+18 BALANCED
A
37.0
B
54.5
#20
Congressional Debate Over Trump's War Powers in Iran
2026-03-02· 2 sources+45 DISTRACTION
A
7.6
B
52.5
#21
Trump Administration Targets Oil Shipments to Cuba with New Executive Order
2026-02-27· 1 source+49 DISTRACTION
A
3.3
B
52.5
#22
Trump Has No Power to Nationalize Elections
2026-02-28· 1 source+53 DISTRACTION
A
0.0
B
52.5
#23
NOISE: Alabama Gulf of Mexico Naming and Trump Rhetoric
2026-02-25· 1 source+53 DISTRACTION
A
—
B
52.5
#24
State Officials Challenge Trump Election Executive Order
2026-03-01· 2 sources+30 BALANCED
A
16.6
B
46.3
#25
Trump Orders Iran Attack Without Congressional Approval
2026-02-28· 1 source+18 BALANCED
A
26.5
B
44.3
#26
Appeals Court Upholds Trump Executive Order Restricting Collective Bargaining for Federal WorkersMIXED
2026-02-27· 2 sources+9 BALANCED
A
34.9
B
43.5
#27
Trump Administration Targets State AI Regulations with Executive Action
2026-02-26· 1 source+20 BALANCED
A
23.4
B
43.5
#28
Trump DOJ Appeals Loss in Michigan Voter Roll Case
2026-03-02· 1 source+13 BALANCED
A
29.8
B
43.0
#29
Trump Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship Challenged by Civil Rights Groups and Catholic Bishops
2026-02-26· 3 sources+38 DISTRACTION
A
3.5
B
41.3
#30
Trump Administration Imposes Section 122 Tariffs and Previews Section 301 Investigations
2026-02-25· 1 source+30 BALANCED
A
9.2
B
39.0
#31
Trump Directs Agencies to Remove Anthropic AI Systems
2026-02-27· 1 source+17 BALANCED
A
20.2
B
37.5
#32
Trump Administration Faces Pressure Over Iran Strikes Lack of Notice to Gulf Countries
2026-03-06· 1 source+27 BALANCED
A
5.0
B
32.0
#33
NOISE: Kalshi and Polymarket CEO Feud
2026-03-06· 1 source+17 BALANCED
A
—
B
16.5
#34
NOISE: Unrelated Crime and Public Safety Coverage
2026-03-02· 1 source+11 BALANCED
A
—
B
11.0
#35
NOISE: De-escalation Training Ends in Escalation
2026-03-06· 1 source+11 BALANCED
A
—
B
11.0
#36
NOISE: Trump Executive Order on Housing Market
2026-02-27· 2 sources+8 BALANCED
A
—
B
7.8
#37
NOISE: OpenAI CEO Commentary on Pentagon Deal
2026-03-01· 1 source+3 BALANCED
A
—
B
2.8
#38
NOISE: International Trade and Tariff Analysis
2026-02-25· 2 sources+3 BALANCED
A
—
B
2.8
#39
NOISE: Routine State and Local Political Coverage
2026-03-02· 8 sources+3 BALANCED
A
—
B
2.8
#40
NOISE: Trucking Industry and Tariff Commentary
2026-03-02· 1 source+3 BALANCED
A
—
B
2.8
#41
NOISE: Education Policy and Corporate Mergers
2026-03-02· 2 sources+3 BALANCED
A
—
B
2.8
#42
NOISE: Non-Administration Foreign Policy and International News
2026-03-02· 3 sources+3 BALANCED
A
—
B
2.8
#43
NOISE: Tech Industry Commentary and Market Analysis
2026-02-24· 2 sources+3 BALANCED
A
—
B
2.8
#44
NOISE: Canada-India Trade Relations
2026-02-27· 2 sources+3 BALANCED
A
—
B
2.8
#45
NOISE: Historians' Amicus Brief in Trump v. Barbara
2026-02-25· 1 source0 BALANCED
A
—
B
0.0
#46
NOISE: Senegal Debt Crisis
2026-02-24· 1 source0 BALANCED
A
—
B
0.0
#47
NOISE: Turkey F-16 Crash Investigation
2026-02-26· 1 source0 BALANCED
A
—
B
0.0
#48
NOISE: Immigrant Justice and Community Fundraising
2026-03-02· 1 source0 BALANCED
A
—
B
0.0
#49
NOISE: Law Firms Drop California Fee-Sharing Lawsuit
2026-02-27· 1 source0 BALANCED
A
—
B
0.0
#4
DOJ Sues for Ownership of Oil Tanker Violating Venezuela Sanctions
2026-02-28· 1 source
—
#5
NOISE: Georgia Republicans Push Bills Against Fani Willis
2026-03-07· 1 source
—
#6
ED Changes Timeline to Recognize New Accreditors
2026-02-27· 1 source
—
#7
NOISE: Celebrity and Entertainment Coverage
2026-03-02· 3 sources
—
#8
NOISE: Unrelated Crime, Business, and Local Coverage
2026-03-02· 9 sources
—
#9
NOISE: Commentary and Opinion on Iran Strikes
2026-03-02· 7 sources
—
#10
NOISE: Entertainment and Media Commentary
2026-03-02· 1 source
—
#11
NOISE: Federal Funding and Research Coverage
2026-03-02· 1 source
—
#12
NOISE: Florida Lawmakers to Leave State Out of Trump Tax Breaks
2026-03-02· 1 source
—
#13
NOISE: Can Michigan Block New ICE Facilities
2026-03-02· 1 source
—
#14
NOISE: Coal Industry and Climate Policy Commentary
2026-03-02· 1 source
—
#15
NOISE: Karoline Leavitt Criticizes CNN Coverage
2026-03-05· 1 source
—
#16
NOISE: Nashville Ledger Publication
2026-03-05· 1 source
—
#17
NOISE: Unrelated Local Crime Coverage
2026-03-02· 1 source
—
#18
NOISE: Public Opinion and Congressional Response to Iran Strikes
2026-03-02· 3 sources
—
#19
NOISE: International Iran Conflict Coverage and Analysis
2026-03-02· 6 sources
—
#20
NOISE: Iran Official Commentary on US Military Operations
2026-03-05· 1 source
—
#21
NOISE: Human Services Left in Limbo Amid Funding Freeze
2026-03-06· 1 source
—
#22
NOISE: Stock Market and Business Commentary
2026-03-07· 2 sources
—
#23
NOISE: Trump Turns Attention to Western Hemisphere at Americas Summit
2026-03-07· 1 source
—
#24
NOISE: Prediction Markets and Iran Betting Scrutiny
2026-03-07· 1 source
—
#25
NOISE: Media Commentary on Border Crisis Framing
2026-03-07· 1 source
—
#26
NOISE: Pentagon Identifies Soldiers Killed in Kuwait Attack
2026-03-05· 1 source
—
#27
NOISE: Native American Perspective on US History
2026-03-05· 1 source
—
#28
NOISE: Bernard LaFayette, Architect of Selma Movement, Dies at 85
2026-03-06· 1 source
—