The Present Age

The Present Age

Why ‘Flooding the Zone’ Works for Trump

As crises and news events pile up, the connection between them becomes the story the American media machine is least equipped to cover.

Parker Molloy's avatar
Parker Molloy
Feb 27, 2026
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Today’s newsletter was originally published at DAME Magazine. You can click here to read it for free on their site, or, if you’re a paid subscriber to The Present Age, enjoy the full version below.


Pick a week. Any week. Take January 11-18, 2026.

Four days earlier, on January 7, an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis. By the week of the 11th, protests had spread nationwide, federal agents were deploying tear gas in residential neighborhoods, and a federal judge had ordered ICE to stop arresting peaceful protesters. The administration’s response was not to investigate the shooting, but to open a DOJ investigation into Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey for obstruction. Trump floated invoking the Insurrection Act. The Pentagon ordered 1,500 soldiers to prepare for deployment to Minnesota.

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