It’s not news that Donald Trump has an ego and constantly attacks the media but never before has the president combined both in one tweet until now.
“Time Magazine called to say I was PROBABLY going to be named “Man (Person of the Year) like last year,” he tweeted.
“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!”
Time’s person of the year award is not meant to be an endorsement but to recognise “the most powerful individuals and forces shaping the world—for better or for worse”. Previous winners include Hitler, Stalin and Vladimir Putin.
This seemed lost on Trump last year, when he won and called it a “great honour”.
Time hit back at Trump’s claim he was “probably” going to win again, saying he was “incorrect” about how the choice was made
Time’s Ex-managing editor Richard Stengel said: “Hate to tell you but that PROBABLY means you’re NOT Person of the Year. They just wanted a photo shoot.”
In June, The Washington Post reported that several of Trump’s clubs display what appears to be a cover from a 2009 issue of Time with Trump himself on the front.
The image, however, is a fake; no such issue of the magazine exists.
Trump was mocked by Andy Murray, who isn’t among the president’s regular critics.
The tennis player adapted the president’s tweet to make it about the BBC’s Sports Personality Of The Year.
Murray isn’t known for tweeting about politics or telling jokes, so the humour was lost on some.
Adapting Trump’s tweet became a bit of a thing.
Trump may yet be named 2017 Person of the Year - Richard Nixon, Stalin and Deng Xiaoping were all named it twice.