Some predictably bad economic news—and Trump’s attempt to fire the messenger—gave a rare spotlight to a typically under-the-radar release: the Department of Labor’s jobs report. Meanwhile, two deeper patterns are playing out:
Gaza is eclipsing almost all other issues, with the sheer horrific scale of famine and humanitarian collapse cutting through the noise. I’d also like to highlight that AOC’s email program is the only political campaign I’ve seen that encouraged supporters to donate to relief efforts.
Epstein finally appears to be past peak, though it’s still commanding more attention than anything else.
This week also saw a rebound in movement-building issues:
Climate change, immigration, and redistricting all rose in attention
Inflation, housing, and student loans continued to fall
“Jobs Report” saw a pop, thanks entirely to Trump’s meltdown and desire to fire anyone who shares inconvenient truths
Here’s the full scorecard:
⚡What will be the MAGA pivot this week?
Well, the news is full of unfavorable headlines for Trump, so you know what that means: New MAGA pivot inbound.
Much of the alt-right core seems more focused on purging the disloyal than attacking Democrats. That opens up two possibilities:
A public fracture, with ex-Trumpers (or Musk’s DOGE crew) trying to claw their way back into relevance
Or a silent banishment, where the movement just memory-holes dissenters and moves on
Will Musk drop new opposition research to keep his faction in the game? Or has even the man who manually prioritizes himself in the algorithm become irrelevant?
🧩 Keep an eye on redistricting
If you thought redistricting only happened once a decade, you were right—until Trump commanded his minions to shore up the House majority ahead of time. Texas Republicans are charging ahead with a norm-shattering plan to redistrict this summer, shifting the maps even redder to try and pick up five additional seats in 2026.
What’s a Dem to do? Texas Democrats bought some time by fleeing the state—the vote can’t move forward without a quorum. Meanwhile, governors of states with Democratic trifectas are feeling pressure to respond in kind with new, bluer maps.
When they go low, we [TBD] On the Democratic side, this could become a flash point between norm-loving institutionalists and those demanding Dem leaders play dirty to keep up.
And now a quick reminder:
📍What Is The Drift?
You're getting a free preview of The Drift before it becomes paid-only.
For years, I’ve helped movements, candidates, and causes ride the waves of the digital zeitgeist. Whether the goal was persuasion, pressure, or turnout, the most consistent wins came down to one thing: timing. This weekly report empowers you to drive the conversation and seize the moment.
The Drift scores each topic weekly across:
📱 Social reach
🔍 Google search volume
📰 News coverage
💰 Ad spend
📬 Email mentions
🧠 Bonus: Gut check — driven by real-time engagement trends from high-performing content creators and direct response instincts.
It’s not a crystal ball. But it’s a solid compass.
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What’s your take on the trends this week?
Hit reply or email [email protected] and let me know.
Thanks, as always, for being part of this community.
—Keegan