President-elect Donald Trump could easily be called the comeback kid. But, according to Time Magazine, he is its “Person of the Year” for 2024.
Time made the announcement Thursday in its expansive cover story on the president-elect.
To say 2024 has been an historic year for Trump is an understatement.
For instance, he is just the second president — after Grover Cleveland — to lose the White House only to return four years later, per CBS News.
“Trump’s political rebirth is unparalleled in American history,” Time said. Time interviewed Trump before the announcement of the announcement. He said his comeback is called “72 Days of Fury.”
Others in contention for the title included Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s ally Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
Kate Middleton. Musk won the honor in 2021, CBS reported.
This is Trump’s second time as Time’s Person of the Year as he received the title in 2016.
The year was a busy one for Trump as it included a trial and conviction in the hush money case in May, two assassination attempts, a change in his Democratic opponent in July and ultimate victory in November.
“The election gave Trump political capital to address the sources of American discontent at home and abroad,” Time said. “The question now is how he intends to spend it. By his own account, Trump will push the limits of presidential power and the law.”
Trump plans to follow through with mass deportations and pardoning those imprisoned for taking part in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol “in the first hour … maybe the first nine minutes.”
Choosing a presidential victor is nothing new for the magazine.
Since 2000, Time given the title to the winner of the presidential race. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris received the honor together in 2020. Former President Barack Obama won in 2008 and 2012, and former President George W. Bush won it in 2004 and 2000. Bill Clinton had the title in 1993 and 1998, when he shared it with Kenneth Starr, George H.W. Bush had it in 1988, Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1983 and Jimmy Carter in 1976.
The magazine says the title is not necessarily an honor or an award, but is picked based on a person’s influence and importance in that given year.
