President-elect Donald Trump kicked off the trading day at the New York Stock Exchange by ringing the opening bell, sporting a broad smile. Was his enthusiasm tied to the start of the day's trading? Possibly. However, it seems more probable that his grin concealed a deep sense of pride, following his second recognition as Time Magazine's Person of the Year.
The Time magazine cover featuring Trump was prominently displayed on a wall at the stock exchange, framed by American flags. This accolade marks the pinnacle of Trump's extraordinary journey from a former president who initially refused to concede his election loss four years ago, to a president-elect who secured a decisive victory in November.
Before ringing the bell, Trump expressed his gratitude, calling it "a tremendous honor." He added, "Time Magazine, getting this honor for the second time, I think I like it better this time actually." Trump was previously named Time's Person of the Year in 2016, during his first presidential campaign.
Among the finalists for this year's award were Vice President Kamala Harris, X owner Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Kate, the Princess of Wales. Trump was selected as the cover star for his "historic comeback, driving a political realignment, reshaping the American presidency, and altering America's role in the world," as stated by Time Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs in his letter to readers.
Jacobs revealed on NBC's "Today" show that Trump was "for better or for worse, the individual with the most influence on the news in 2024." He emphasized that Trump's comeback, reshaping of the presidency, and reordering of American politics made him the most influential figure in news.
Jacobs also noted that while there is always debate over the choice, this year's decision was relatively straightforward. In contrast, last year, Time CEO Jessica Sibley rang the NYSE opening bell to announce Taylor Swift as the 2023 Person of the Year, a less controversial selection.
Trump has long been enamored with appearing on the cover of Time, having first graced it in 1989. He has falsely claimed the record for most cover appearances and was reported by The Washington Post in 2017 to have displayed a fake cover in several of his golf clubs. He previously expressed disappointment in 2015 when he was not chosen for the cover during his campaign, with the award that year going to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Other notable winners of Time's Person of the Year include former President Barack Obama, climate change activist Greta Thunberg, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Pope Francis, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Stay tuned to Euronews Culture for our People of the Year 2024, which will be published later this month.
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