With 'presidential alert,' Trump needs to prove critics wrong

Published September 17, 2018 9:16pm ET



On Thursday, starting around 2:18 p.m. Eastern Time, your phone will buzz with an emergency alert. It won’t be a familiar weather alert or amber alert, which have been pinging phones since 2012, but a national, “presidential alert” that is being tested nationwide for the first time. It’s a great tool to have if there is an emergency, and Trump, once he knows this new power works, should be careful not to make it political or abuse the power.

Most cellphone users already get some emergency alerts pinged to their devices. If there’s a flash flood in your area, for example, your phone will buzz with an emergency notification alerting you of the potential threat. If a newspaper you follow has a new breaking story, they might also send an alert. These messages quickly and easily keep Americans up to date on news, weather, and other happenings.

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