Presidents don't have the power to declare war, make laws, or lower gas prices (however much public outrage there may be).
But there are a number of lesser-known abilities that come with the office — and they require no approval whatsoever.
Most are fairly harmless, although some could end in unintended disaster.
Here's just a sampling of those powers.
SEE ALSO: Trump has already signed 66 executive actions — here's what each one does
Send texts to everyone's phone.
There are three cases in which everyone's phone in the office might buzz simultaneously: an emergency alert in life-threatening situations, an Amber alert to signal a missing child, and an alert from the president.
The first two are blockable if you go into your phone's settings, but per FCC guidelines, the third is not.
If he so chooses, Trump could text everyone anytime he feels like it.
Launch a nuclear attack.
Trump isn't so powerful as to declare war by himself, but he can order a nuclear strike at the drop of a hat.
At all times, presidents are no more than several feet from a briefcase known as the "nuclear football." It contains the launch codes for America's nuclear arsenal.
If the president wants, he or she can pass on the order to the Secretary of Defense, who has no veto power in the matter, and the strike will commence.
Order searches of electronic devices.
In 2002, President George W. Bush authorized the Department of Homeland Security to search all electronics within 100 miles of a border without a warrant.
In certain places, such as Connecticut, Hawaii, and Florida, that freedom ends up applying to the entire state. Overall, it applies to some 200 million people, according to the ACLU.
It's also up to the president to create or dismantle such departments in the first place.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider