![Trump makes false claim to be in line for Time magazine's 'Person of the Year'. [Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/11/21/660x290/b_502x220x82/trump-makes-false-claim-to-be-in-line-for-time-magazines-person-of-the-year-photo-wikimedia-author-voice-of-america_1705615.jpg "Trump makes false claim to be in line for Time magazine's 'Person of the Year'. [Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons]")
In a tweet earlier today president Trump claimed that he had been contacted by Time Magazine to say that he was PROBABLY going to named 'Man ( Person) of The Year' like last year.
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. I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2017
He goes on to claim that the only reasons he turned down the honour are because he'd have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot.
Given that the current POTUS is a master of self-promotion it seems extremely unlikely that he would turn down the opportunity to be interviewed and photographed in a magazine as prestigious as Time, and be awarded the honour for the second year running, something which no-one has ever done.
Time Magazine replies
Time Magazine was quick to reply to the president and put the matter to rest. In a tweet that quickly followed Trump's the magazine said;
The President is incorrect about how we choose Person of the Year. TIME does not comment on our choice until publication, which is December 6.
— TIME (@TIME) November 25, 2017
The Commander-in-Chief was being a little presumptuous if nothing else as Time doesn't comment on their choice of Person of the |Year until December 6th so it is unlikely that Trump would have been contacted anyway.
A former editor of the magazine, Richard Stengel, cut the president down to size in a message which reminded the President that 'probably' means that he's not Person of the Year and all they wanted was a photo shoot. He also reminded the president that he has been known to actually make fake Time magazine covers with himself on the cover and display them in his office at his golf course retreat Mar-A-Lago in Florida.
Fake news and Trump
That the president should be involved in a fake news item is astonishing, given that he has been scathing in his attacks on publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post since he took office for printing what he classes 'fake news'. The term 'fake news' when it concerns President Trump is habitually news that he disagrees with or that portrays him in a bad light.
He spares his most open displeasure for the news channels NBC and CNN.
People are just now starting to find out how dishonest and disgusting (FakeNews) @NBCNews is. Viewers beware. May be worse than even @CNN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2017
'Person of the Year'
Time magazine's award of 'Person of the Year' began in 1927 as 'Man of the Year' and recognises the person who 'for better or worse has done most to influence events of the year.' Trump was 2016's winner for his victory in the presidential election. Readers are invited to vote on who they think should be nominated but the final decision is made by editors.
Previous winners of the award have been US Presidents such as Obama, George W Bush and Ronald Reagan but also more controversial choices like Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and the Ayatollah Khomeni.
