Time Magazine Refutes Donald Trump’s Claim That They Wanted To Name Him ‘Person Of The Year’

Getty Image

It was the rare slow news day.

But while the rest of the country was digging into Thanksgiving leftovers and regretting waking up at dawn for Black Friday sales, President Donald Trump was airing his grievances on — where else? — Twitter. “Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named ‘Man (Person) of the Year,’ like last year,” he tweeted, “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 has long been fascinated (obsessed?) with Time‘s “Person of the Year” honor, which went by “Man of the Year” or “Woman of the Year” until 1999. “So biased: @TIME made ‘The Protester’ as the person of the year,” he tweeted in 2011. “@TIME celebrates [Occupy Wall Street] but vilified the Tea Party last year.” In 2015: “I told you @TIME Magazine would never pick me as person of the year despite being the big favorite. They picked person who is ruining Germany.” In 2016: “Thank you to Time Magazine and Financial Times for naming me ‘Person of the Year’ – a great honor!” There’s also the goofy fake cover in his golf clubs declaring The Apprentice a “television smash.”

Trump was named Person of the Year last year, beating out Beyoncé, Putin, and yes, Hillary Clinton, but Time called his claim that he was “probably” going to win again “incorrect.” The publication’s official account tweeted, “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.” Managing editor Richard Stengel added, “Hate to tell you but that PROBABLY means you’re NOT Person of the Year. They just wanted a photo shoot. But I’m sure you still have that fake TIME cover somewhere in storage.” Time‘s CCO Alan Murray even got involved, tweeting, “Amazing. Not a speck of truth here.”

The last individual to be named Person of the Year twice: Barack Obama. No wonder Trump’s in a huff. The only good to come out of the President of the United States of America arguing with a magazine about not being named homecoming king is the online reaction to this most 2017 of feuds.

https://twitter.com/adamjwhitedc/status/934194281610231808

https://twitter.com/amyspaulding/status/934234284486942720

https://twitter.com/AidenWolfe/status/934314660995784706

https://twitter.com/OhNoSheTwitnt/status/934312223303856128

Meanwhile, here’s the real Person of the Year.