Trump Boasted About Turning Down 'Person of the Year' — But Time Magazine Was Having None of It

In 2016, Donald Trump—then-president-elect—was honored as Time's Person of the Year. TIME explained, "For reminding America that demagoguery feeds on despair and that truth is only as powerful as the trust in those who speak it, for empowering a hidden electorate by mainstreaming its furies and live-streaming its fears, and for framing tomorrow's political culture by demolishing yesterday's, Donald Trump is Time 2016 Person of the Year." A year later, according to NPR, Trump boasted that he was chosen for the prestigious title for the second year in a row. However, the famed publication refuted the Republican leader's claims.  

"Time magazine called to say that I was probably going to be named 'Man (Person) of the Year,' like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot. I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!" Trump asserted on X. "The President is incorrect about how we choose Person of the Year. TIME does not comment on our choice until publication, which is December 6," the publication responded. 

As per NPR, in 2016 Beyoncé Knowles and the Flint water crisis whistleblowers were among the first-time contenders on the shortlist that also included former winners Mark Zuckerberg and Vladimir Putin in addition to Trump. Eventually, a group called the "silence breakers" who sparked the anti-harassment #MeToo movement were named Time's Person of the Year for 2017. Explaining the selection process, TIME once stated that the title is awarded to "the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill, and embodied what was important about the year, for better or for worse."

In a lengthy essay, the coveted magazine wrote that Trump "has upended the leadership of both major political parties and effectively shifted the political direction of the international order." It also pointed out that it is carrying on a recent tradition of designating the president-elect as Person of the Year. George W. Bush received the honor in 2004 and 2000, and Barack Obama in 2012 and 2008. 

"To be on the cover of Time as Person of the Year is a tremendous honor," Trump told in an interview, as reported by Today. But he objected to the magazine's designation of him as the 'President of the Divided States of America.' "When you say 'divided states of America,' I didn’t divide them," Trump said. "They’re divided now, there’s a lot of division. And we’re going to put it back together." TIME managing editor Nancy Gibbs later noted, "So which is it this year: Better or worse? The challenge for Donald Trump is how profoundly the country disagrees about the answer." Trump defeated Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent, and ten other contenders. TIME ranked Clinton as their second choice. Trump made his TIME cover debut in 1989 and has accomplished the feat ten times.