TIME magazine has named Donald Trump Person of the Year for 2024, marking a dramatic political resurrection that saw him overcome multiple legal challenges to win both the Republican nomination and the presidency.
The announcement comes after Trump's sweeping victory in November, where he became the first Republican to win the popular vote in 20 years and captured all seven swing states.
Speaking to TIME at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump, 78, dubbed his campaign's final stretch the "72 Days of Fury," describing how he tapped into widespread national discontent about the economy, immigration and cultural issues. "We hit the nerve of the country. The country was angry," Trump told TIME.
The former president's path to victory included surviving an assassination attempt in Butler, Pa, in July, where a bullet missed his skull by less than an inch. The incident, according to TIME's reporting, transformed public perception as Trump rose bloodied but defiant, fist raised, chanting "Fight!"
Trump's campaign gained crucial momentum when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed him following behind-the-scenes negotiations led by Donald Trump Jr. The endorsement, timed after the Democratic convention, helped stall Vice President Kamala Harris's momentum after she replaced Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee.
The president-elect outlined an ambitious agenda to TIME, including plans to pardon Jan. 6 rioters, implement mass deportation policies, and reshape federal institutions. "I'll only do what the law allows, but I will go up to the maximum level of what the law allows," Trump told the magazine.
Trump's transition team has already assembled key appointments, including Susie Wiles as chief of staff and Mike Waltz as national security adviser. The president-elect has nominated unconventional choices for his cabinet, including former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi for Justice Department head and Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State.
