red herring
US /ˌred ˈher.ɪŋ/
UK /ˌred ˈher.ɪŋ/
1.
something, especially a clue, that is or is intended to be misleading or distracting.
:
•
The detective realized the suspicious note was a red herring to throw them off the real trail.
•
The politician's speech was full of red herrings to distract from the real issues.