President-elect Donald Trump has been named Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2024, after becoming only the second U.S. president to lose re-election and then reclaim the White House four years later.
Time described Trump’s political resurgence as “unparalleled in American history.”
The magazine highlighted his dramatic comeback during the 2024 campaign, including clearing the GOP field to secure the nomination, spending weeks in a New York courtroom, surviving two assassination attempts, and garnering support from figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk.
Trump beat out finalists like Vice President Kamala Harris, Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Princess Catherine of Wales.
To mark the occasion, Trump will ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, his first time doing so. This is his second time being named Person of the Year, having previously received the honor in 2016 after defeating Hillary Clinton in the presidential election.
Time’s feature on Trump’s comeback included his plans for his upcoming presidency, such as defending his proposal to use the military for mass deportations and granting pardons to individuals involved in the January 6th Capitol attack. Trump’s election victory, according to Time, provides him with the political capital to address American discontent both domestically and internationally, though his future actions may push the boundaries of presidential power.
Since 2000, Time has typically chosen the winner of the presidential race as Person of the Year, with past honorees including Presidents Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and others. The title is given not as an award, but as recognition of an individual’s significant influence and importance over the year.
