Time magazine names Donald Trump as Person of the Year
American president-elect Donald Trump has been named Time magazine’s person of the year.
It is not a complete shock because Time almost always bestows the title on newly elected presidents — only Gerald Ford of recent US commanders-in-chief was not honoured.
The magazine cover branded Trump, who moves into the White House in January, President of the Divided States of America and said the influence he will wield was the reason for the decision.
Time editor-in-chief Nancy Gibbs explained in a video: “This is the 90th time we have named the person who had the greatest influence, for better or worse, on the events of the year. 2016 was the year of his rise; 2017 will be the year of his rule, and like all newly elected leaders, he has a chance to fulfil promises and defy expectations.
“A lot of people think that person of the year, because of the nature of the name, is an honour. Certainly over the years we have recognised people whose influences have been altogether unassailably worthy [but] normally that’s not the case. ”
Online homophobia surged after Trump’s victory last month and all his Cabinet nominations have taken anti-LGBT+ stands in the past, prompting fears that some LGBT+ rights will be reversed.
Watch the video here:
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