Former CNN host Don Lemon couldn’t hide his disbelief Thursday after Time Magazine named President-elect Donald Trump as its 2024 “Person of the Year.” This marks the second time Trump has received the honor, with the first occurring after his 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton.
Lemon openly questioned whether the public was being “scammed,” insisting there was no way Trump deserved 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.’ Time Magazine, what are you doing?” Lemon said. “Let me ask you, Time Magazine, what do you say to the women who I guess still read your magazine? What about the women who are on that list? You have someone on the cover who is an adjudicated assaulter, who inspired an insurrection, who tried to overturn a free and fair election. You have someone with multiple criminal counts and convictions.”
Lemon continued his tirade: “And you name [Trump] ‘Person of the Year.’ Is this a joke? Did someone put out a fake tweet about this?”
Time’s decision highlighted Trump’s extraordinary political resurgence. The magazine cited his survival of two assassination attempts, his conviction on 34 felony counts in a Manhattan case, and his sweeping victories in all seven battleground states, including the popular vote. Trump’s comeback was labeled as “unparalleled in American history” by Time’s Eric Cortellessa.
Trump’s 2024 campaign overcame multiple legal challenges, including indictments over his handling of classified documents and allegations related to the 2020 election. Despite these obstacles, he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in a race that saw her spend over $1.5 billion during her brief campaign after President Joe Biden withdrew in July.
While Lemon and other left-wing commentators balked at the choice, Time Magazine stood by its decision, emphasizing the impact and magnitude of Trump’s political comeback.
