Moment chaos erupts after Emergency Alert System test interrupts White House briefing

Alarms sounded off in the White House press briefing room in waves as Karine Jean-Pierre attempted to answer questions.

Reporters laughed and Jean-Pierre was quick to make a joke. “Okay, thanks, everyone,” she said, pretending to bring the briefing to a close.

The alarms were a part of the nationwide emergency alert drill that a the US government carried out on 4 October around 2:20 p.m.

A text message was sent to every TV, radio and mobile phone in the US at around 2.20pm ET on Wednesday as the federal government tested its Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts.