While President-elect Donald Trump recently celebrated Time naming him his “Person of the Year” a second time, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel reminded viewers of Trump's public discontent with the publication over the years.
“Trump has had many ups and downs when it comes to Time magazine,” recalled Kimmel, who brought up an April 2013 tweet where Trump wrote: “The Time Magazine list of the 100 Most Influential People is a joke and stunt of a magazine that will, like Newsweek, soon be dead. Bad list!” Notably, Trump was not on the publication's annual lineup that year. The following month, Trump tweeted: “Just took a look at Time Magazine-looks really flimsy like a free hand out of the parking lot.”
However, as Kimmel points out, in 2015, when Time put him on the cover, Trump called the moment a “great honor.” Yet when he failed to make it as “Person of the Year” months later, the billionaire announced winner Angela Merkel: “I told you, @Time Magazine would never pick me as person of the year despite being the big favorite They picked person who is ruining Germany.”
Naturally, all ill will was lost the following year, when the magazine gave him the title and Trump once again lauded the “great honor.”
As Kimmel quipped, “Sadly, the era of good feelings did not last,” and when Trump wasn't the featured subject of 2017, he claimed he had rejected Time's request for an interview and photoshoot ahead of the “Person of the Year” issue. “Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named 'Man (Person) of the Year,' like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot,” Trump lamented at the time. “I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!”
The magazine later disputed Trump's claims and tweeted the then-President was “incorrect about how we choose Person of the Year.” The publication added, “TIME does not comment on our choice until publication, which is December 6.”
Kimmel fast-forwarded to Thursday, rolling video of Trump ringing the opening at the New York Stock Exchange alongside Time CEO Jessica Sibley, after being named 2024's “Person of the Year.” Naturally, the president-elect reposted the clip to Truth Social.
The late-night host also played a clip of Trump speaking to stockbrokers while his Time cover glowed in the background and he illustrated high grocery prices by repeating his tale about an elderly woman who couldn't afford apples. While the president-elect has repeatedly vowed to lower grocery costs, he began walk back on his promise during his Time interview.
When asked if his presidency would be a failure if grocery prices didn't go down, Trump replied, “I don't think so.” He continued, “Look, they got them up. I'd like to bring them down. It's hard to bring things down once they're up. You know, it's very hard.”
