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America's Next Crisis Manager

September 26, 2016  •  The Wall Street Journal

As Hillary Clin­ton and Don­ald Trump clash on the de­bate stage Mon­day night, view­ers should con­sider how each might han­dle a dis­as­ter as presi­dent. One of the top­ics slated for debate is "se­cur­ing Amer­ica," and indeed, ter­ror­ism re­cently struck New York, New Jer­sey and Min­neapolis. Hur­ri-canes and pan­demics also loom as un­pre­dictable threats in the pres­i­den­tial purview.

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Don't Worry, America: The 3 A.M. Phone Call Is a Myth

September 10, 2016  •  Politico

Widespread concern over Donald Trump's readiness to be president has revived memories of Hillary Clinton's most lasting contribution to political advertising, her famous 2008 spot that depicted children sleeping soundly in their beds late at night with a voiceover saying that, at that moment, "something is happening in the world." "Your vote will decide who answers that call," the stentorian voice intones. Though Clinton lost that race, the meme lived on: Even a recent episode of the Simpsons did a hilarious bit on the ad, with the Trump character taking so long to primp himself for a national security meeting (including placing a little dog on his head for hair) after his 3 a.m. phone call that he misses the crisis.

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Presidential Prerequisite: Must Love Spock

September 1, 2016  •  New York Observer

September 8, 2016 is the 50th anniversary of Star Trek's first TV appearance on NBC. Having been a part of American life for half a century, it should come as no surprise that the show has had a variety of fascinating interactions with presidents—including Obama, the biggest Star Trek fan of any commander in chief to date.

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The Federal Government Is Ill-Equipped to Handle Natural Disasters

August 29, 2016  •  National Review Online

Hurricane Katrina killed more than 1,800 people in 2005 and caused more than $148 billion in damages. The storm and attendant floods left 600,000 families homeless, undercut power to 3 million homes, and damaged or destroyed 1.2 million others. It painted an indelible picture of government helplessness, as images of suffering residents went around the country and around the world. It also reshaped the landscape of New Orleans: Nine years later, the city still has only 78 percent of its pre-storm population.

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How Presidents Can Blow It During a National Disaster

August 26, 2016  •  The Wall Street Journal

This summer's bad news—floods in Louisiana, the spread of the Zika virus, police shootings, the threat of domestic terrorism—reminds us of a central challenge for any president: what to do when disaster strikes. Rush to the site and roll up his (or her) sleeves? Trust state and local leaders to handle the mess? Pick up the putter and finish that round of golf?

Modern presidents—with enormous federal capacities at their disposal and a media spotlight on the White House—are under great pressure to rise to the occasion. But it hasn't always been this way.

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Books by Tevi Troy