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Don Lemon expressed visible frustration over Time Magazine’s selection of President-elect Donald Trump as “Person of the Year” during a recent episode of his YouTube show.
During his broadcast, Lemon displayed Time’s cover featuring Trump while criticizing the publication’s decision with evident disapproval.
DON LEMON: “HOW COULD 'TIME MAGAZINE' MAKE TRUMP PERSON OF THE YEAR?!”
🤦♀️ pic.twitter.com/wMgV3HwMqj— 🇺🇸Kim -Protective Mama Bear🇺🇸 (@KimberlyRae45) December 13, 2024
“They [Time] could have done it to someone who actually stood for democracy,” he complained.
Despite acknowledging Trump’s status as an elected official, Lemon dismissed this qualification, stating, “Just because you are elected president of the United States does not mean that you should be ‘Person of the Year.'”
The former CNN host’s passionate response, later shared on X, included questioning Time’s judgment and recounting various controversies surrounding Trump before expressing disbelief at the magazine’s choice.
Suggesting potential manipulation, Lemon told his viewers, “Maybe we’re being scammed.”
However, Trump’s eventful year, marked by legal challenges, security threats, constant media attention, and electoral success, made him a compelling choice for the recognition.
It’s worth noting that Time’s “Person of the Year” designation isn’t a moral endorsement, as evidenced by past recipients including Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Putin.
The magazine notably selected Adolf Hitler as “Man of the Year” in 1939, a decision they’ve subsequently defended against criticism. The cover portrayed Hitler ominously at an organ beneath a St. Catherine’s wheel displaying victims, with the caption, “From the unholy organist, a hymn of hate.”
🚨FULL REMARKS: President Trump delivers full remarks before ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange NYSE after Time Magazine named him 'Person of the Year'. Man of the Year! Actually, Person of the Century!
Good Thursday! Congratulations Mr. President! pic.twitter.com/F56mEIdAZL
— AJ Huber (@Huberton) December 12, 2024
Time’s editors wrote in 2019: “In a world that can sometimes seem inured to evil, may we never see the likes of the unholy organist again.”
The magazine explains their selection process on their website: “For 97 years, the editors of TIME have been picking the Person of the Year: the individual who, for better or for worse, did the most to shape the world and the headlines over the past 12 months.”
The key phrase “for better or for worse” suggests Lemon’s criticism misses the point – the designation isn’t about moral character but about impact on world events.
