Donald J. Trump, the President-elect of the United States, has been named TIME magazine’s Person of the Year for 2024, marking the second time he has received the honor. DJT first earned the title in 2016 following his initial presidential election victory.
TIME’s editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, announced Trump as the Person of the Year on Thursday morning, with the President-elect in attendance. Jacobs gave a statement on Trump’s victory, which was published in the magazine, saying it was an obvious choice.
“On the cusp of his second presidency, all of us, from his most fanatical supporters to his most fervent critics, are living in the Age of Trump,” Jacobs wrote.
Jacobs further elaborated that DJT was selected for his influence on global news throughout 2024.
“This is someone who made a historic comeback, reshaped the American presidency, and is reordering American politics,” he said. “It’s hard to argue with the fact that the person moving into the Oval Office is the most influential figure in the news.”
Following his selection as Person of the Year, DJT rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). It was his first time ringing the bell, and he expressed his satisfaction with the recognition. “TIME Magazine, getting this honor for the second time, I think I like it better this time actually,” he remarked.
Before the trading day began, Trump took the chance to tout his incoming administration’s plans and appointments, including naming Scott Bessent as Secretary of the Treasury. He also pledged to expedite federal permits, including environmental approvals, for infrastructure and construction projects exceeding $1 billion in value.
“I think we’re going to have a tremendous run,” he said. “We have to straighten out some problems, some big problems in the world.”
The president-elect was also asked about his plans for crypto by CNBC’s correspondent Jim Cramer, to which he responded, “We’re gonna do something great with crypto. We don’t want China, or anybody else – others are embracing it, and we want to be the head.”
In an interview with TIME, Trump reflected on his campaign’s final stretch leading up to his election win, describing it as ‘72 Days of Fury.’
“We hit the nerve of the country. The country was angry,” he said, suggesting his approach resonated with voters and ultimately secured his return to the White House.
President-elect Donald J. Trump is named TIME Person of the Year. Tune in for live his address from NYSE. @realDonaldTrump | @TIME | #NYSE https://t.co/OLrJgcJbl5
— NYSE 🏛 (@NYSE) December 12, 2024
The day’s activities, including Trump’s presence on Wall Street to ceremonially start trading, had been kept under wraps until Thursday morning.
Trump’s tumultuous relationship with TIME magazine has also resurfaced amid the honor. After being named Person of the Year in 2016, he praised the publication as “very important” and called the title a “tremendous honor.”
However, during his first term as president, Trump frequently criticized the media, including TIME, accusing outlets of biased reporting.
While Trump’s political resurgence continues to make headlines, his family has been actively molding relationships with other countries.
As reported by the New York Times, Eric Trump, the President-elect’s son, headlined the Bitcoin MENA 2024 conference in the United Arab Emirates this week, where he addressed thousands of attendees.
He emphasized the family’s support for the crypto industry, describing efforts to align government policies with business interests. “You’re going to have the most pro-crypto president in the history of America,” Eric Trump declared. “Think about a president who isn’t going to allow Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies to be overregulated and stifled.”
Eric Trump’s announcement coincided with Bitcoin reaching a milestone price of $100,000, an achievement he claimed to have celebrated with his father.
The younger Trump’s remarks also revealed a shift in the family’s approach to business and governance. During Donald Trump’s first term as president, the family had pledged to maintain a clear separation between business operations and government roles.
However, Eric Trump’s comments suggested a more open acknowledgment of overlapping interests in the upcoming administration. At the conference, he promoted the family’s latest venture, World Liberty Financial, a crypto platform. His statements signaled a reduced concern about potential conflicts of interest, as he openly linked the President-elect’s policies to the family’s financial ventures.
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