Donald Trump Named Time Magazine's Person of the Year

Time magazine has chosen Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, as its Person of the Year, referring to him as the "President of the Disunited States." Nancy Gibbs, the editor of Time, stated, "I think no one has ever had such an unconventional impact on the events of the year like Donald Trump." She added, "Choosing the Person of the Year this year was much easier than in previous years." Hillary Clinton, Trump's rival in the U.S. presidential election, ranked second on the list of important figures of the year. Gibbs remarked, "Mr. Trump's victory over Mrs. Clinton showed that, for better or worse, he will have a greater influence on world events." According to CNN, the third position on Time's list was awarded to "hackers," encompassing all individuals and groups that steal confidential government information, personal data of celebrities, and ordinary citizens. Other notable figures on Time's shortlist include Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey, scientists who have discovered new DNA-related technologies, and Beyoncé, the American singer. In response to being named Person of the Year, Trump stated that he considers it a "great honor" and added that he has read Time magazine for years. Trump's relationship with Time magazine was particularly tumultuous during the election campaign. The magazine had previously featured Trump's image on its cover, with headlines like "Decline" and "Absolute Decline" just before the elections. The editor of Time noted regarding Trump's selection as Person of the Year, "It is difficult to accurately estimate the disruption we are witnessing. The question is whether the change will go towards better or worse? Trump's challenge is that the country is deeply divided on how to answer this question." CNN pointed out that Time has been selecting its Person of the Year since 1927, including nearly all U.S. presidents, Adolf Hitler, Mahatma Gandhi, Ayatollah Khomeini, Pope Francis, and groups like "Ebola Fighters" throughout history. In 1982, the title was changed to "Machine of the Year" to commemorate the advent of computers. Over the nine decades of this tradition, Time has only selected four women as Person of the Year, including Wallis Simpson, the wife of Edward VIII; Queen Elizabeth II; Corazon Aquino, the President of the Philippines; and Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, who was chosen last year. Trump, who had long been considered a candidate for Person of the Year, recently tweeted, "Even though I am one of the main candidates, Time will never choose me." Nevertheless, he responded to his selection by saying that Time is a very important magazine. On Wednesday, Trump said in an interview with NBC News, "This decision is very important to me, especially since I read Time magazine in my youth. Time is a very important magazine, and I have had the chance to have my picture on its cover multiple times."