President-elect Donald Trump was named the 2024 Person of the Year by Time magazine, which cited his historic comeback and realignment of American politics. The recognition marks the second time Trump has received the honor, following his first win in 2016.
Reacting to the announcement, former CNN host Don Lemon strongly criticized the decision, calling it a “joke” and questioning the magazine’s judgment. On TikTok, Lemon argued that Trump does not stand for democracy and that the publication should not have chosen him for the honor.
“You have someone on the cover of your magazine who is an adjudicated assaulter,” Lemon said. “You have someone who inspired an insurrection. We have someone who, without a doubt, the evidence is there, tried to overturn a free and fair election. You had someone who had multiple criminal accounts and was found guilty on multiple criminal counts. And you name them Person of The Year.”
Lemon also bizarrely suggested that the magazine may have been “scammed” and implied that producers at Time may have gotten “something wrong.”
In response, Trump thanked Time magazine for the recognition, stating that he had “served as a symbol of hope and of the incredible resilience and determination of the American people.”
Time’s announcement noted that Trump “marshaled a comeback of historic proportions, drove a once-in-a-generation political realignment, reshaped the American presidency, and altered America’s role in the world.” The publication also highlighted his successful campaign and his popularity among the American people.
Other finalists for the 2024 Person of the Year award included Kamala Harris, Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Last year’s winner was pop star Taylor Swift.