Donald Trump is obsessed with TIME’s “Person of the Year” issue, which he insists on calling “Man of the Year” because he’s Donald Trump. He even created a fake TIME cover, featuring himself, and displayed it at various properties he owned.

He then trashed TIME in 2015 for having the audacity to pick Angela Merkel instead of him. At the time he was one of more than a dozen Republican candidates for president.

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 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 9, 2015

Last year, Trump won the presidency in one of the greatest political upsets of all time. But more importantly he was finally named TIME’s Person of the Year.

Trump was into it.

Thank you to Time Magazine and Financial Times for naming me "Person of the Year" – a great honor! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016

You would think that this would place Trump’s mind at ease. He had now been named “Person of the Year” and is the President, so few would doubt that he is an important person. You would think wrong.


On Friday, Trump tweeted that he had been essentially offered the “Person of the Year” designation again for 2017 by TIME but would have had to agree to an interview and “a major photo shoot.” So Trump says he decided to pass.

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

TIME responded by essentially calling Trump a liar.

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

When Merkel was named Person of the Year in 2015 she did not grant TIME a photo shoot or interview.

Alan Murray, TIME’s Chief Content Officer, was less charitable, calling Trump’s claims “total BS.”

Amazing. Not a speck of truth here—Trump tweets he 'took a pass' at being named TIME's person of the year https://t.co/D6SJgyTpcY — Alan Murray (@alansmurray) November 25, 2017

Prior to starting a Twitter feud with a magazine, Trump spent his day golfing with Tiger Woods.