Former CNN host Don Lemon voiced his disbelief on Thursday over Time Magazine naming President-elect Donald Trump as its 2024 “Person of the Year.”
This marks the second time Trump has received the title, with the first being in 2016 following his victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
During a public discussion, Lemon expressed skepticism over the magazine’s decision, questioning whether the public might be “scammed” and challenging Trump’s eligibility for the recognition. “Now when you think about what encompasses ‘Person of the Year,’ just because you are elected President of the United States does not mean you should be ‘Person of the Year,’” Lemon said.
“Time Magazine, what are you doing? Let me ask you Time Magazine, what do you say to the women who I guess still read Time Magazine? … What about the women who are on that list? I’m sure some of them will have dealt with issues that women have to deal with, like discrimination in the workplace, [sexual assault], all kinds of things. You have someone on the cover of your magazine who is an adjudicated assaulter, you have someone who inspired an insurrection, you 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 counts and found guilty on multiple criminal counts.”
Time Magazine highlighted Trump’s “unparalleled” political comeback in the face of legal and political challenges.
The article detailed Trump’s journey through a tumultuous period that included multiple criminal indictments and convictions, yet culminated in a decisive victory in the 2024 presidential election.
“Trump’s political rebirth is unparalleled in American history,” Eric Cortellessa of Time Magazine wrote.
“His first term ended in disgrace, with his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results culminating in the attack on the U.S. Capitol. He was shunned by most party officials when he announced his candidacy in late 2022 amid multiple criminal investigations. Little more than a year later, Trump cleared the Republican field, clinching one of the fastest contested presidential primaries in history. He spent six weeks during the general election in a New York City courtroom, the first former President to be convicted of a crime—a fact that did little to dampen his support.”
The magazine underscored Trump’s resilience in navigating high-profile legal cases while maintaining robust support among his base.
Trump faced several criminal indictments, including 34 felony counts brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, charges related to classified documents stored at Mar-a-Lago, and allegations of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia and Washington, D.C.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis charged Trump under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
Trump’s legal team filed a request on Dec. 4 to dismiss the Georgia charges, citing his upcoming presidential term.
Despite these legal hurdles, Trump became the first Republican nominee in 20 years to win the popular vote, flipping all seven battleground states and securing his path back to the White House.
The 2024 election saw Trump facing two Democratic opponents after Joe Biden exited the race on July 21, Kamala Harris stepped in as the Democratic nominee, raising nearly $1.5 billion and gaining momentum in the early stages of her campaign.
Ultimately, Trump’s victory solidified what Time Magazine called an extraordinary political comeback, making him a two-time recipient of its “Person of the Year” title.
