Donald Trump Named Time Person of the Year for the Second Time
Time Magazine has named Donald Trump its Person of the Year for 2024, marking the second time the former president has received this honor.
“For marshaling a comeback of historic proportions, for driving a once-in-a-generation political realignment, for reshaping the American presidency and altering America’s role in the world, Donald Trump is TIME’s 2024 Person of the Year,” said Time Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs in a letter to readers.
The Republican president-elect is set to celebrate the recognition by ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, joined by several members of his family.
Trump was first named Person of the Year in 2016 after his surprising victory in the U.S. presidential election. Time’s tradition, which began in 1927 as “Man of the Year,” honors a person or movement that has had the greatest influence on global events, for better or worse.
Past winners include climate activist Greta Thunberg, former President Barack Obama, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Pope Francis, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Editors at Time select the Person of the Year, and this year, Trump was chosen from a list of 10 finalists, which also included Vice President Kamala Harris, the Princess of Wales, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Musk, a close ally of Trump, is set to lead an advisory board called the Department of Government Efficiency.
In announcing Trump as the winner, Time described his 2024 victory as a “stunning political comeback.” His campaign activated new voters, including young males, helping him secure a historic win. This victory marked his first popular vote win and saw him flip every swing state red.
Trump’s 2024 win is groundbreaking in several ways. He will become the oldest president in U.S. history, and he is also the first convicted felon to be elected to the nation’s highest office. Earlier this year, Trump was convicted by a New York jury on 34 counts of fraud.
Trump spoke to Time Magazine during interviews in April 2024, where he discussed his plans for a second term, which included reforming U.S. immigration and deporting millions of people.
Though Trump initially complained in 2015 when he wasn’t named Person of the Year, despite his presidential bid, he later called it a “great honor” after his 2016 victory. At that time, he shared his admiration for Time Magazine, saying it meant a lot to him, especially as someone who grew up reading it.
Despite this recognition, Trump has continued to criticize some of Time’s other choices, including last year’s selection of pop star Taylor Swift as Person of the Year.
