IF DONALD Trump winning the White House was a shock tantamount to an unforeseen political tsunami, the fact that he was awarded Time magazine’s Person of the Year award was more akin to a small ripple in a puddle.

But for those still coming to terms with the unlikely President-elect, seeing the bombastic billionaire touted as the most influential person in world affairs was a bitter pill to swallow.

Fortunately, there is always the internet to make wise cracks and post memes about the current situation to make everyone feel better. And in the wake of the announcement, social media reliably chimed in.

Many people applauded the creative director of the shoot for giving Mr Trump a chair to sit in that looked remarkably similar to the one that Adolf Hitler was pictured in for his cover for the same accolade in 1938.

Plenty of people pointed out that the placement of the ‘M’ gave Trump the appearance of devil horns.

Others applauded the presumably difficult makeup job done to turn Trump’s face from orange to white while others congratulated Alec Baldwin on the win, the actor who regularly impersonates Trump on Saturday Night Live.

According to the magazine’s editorial director Radhika Jones, the winner is someone “who best represents the news of the year”.

“The pick also needs to have archival value. You need the sense that it will stand the test of time. So ideally, we want our Person of the Year to be both a snapshot of where the world is and a picture of where it’s going,” she said in 2014.

Last year Mr Trump posted a bitter tweet after German Chancellor Angela Merkel took out the honour, despite him claiming he was “the big favourite” in 2015. But this year, he got his wish.

It doesn’t exactly put him in the finest company given that — as everyone has been so quick to point out — Hitler, Mussolini and Joseph Stalin have also been named as the person of the year by Time magazine in the past.

Nonetheless, the Donald said he was honoured to be given the nod.

“I consider this a very, very great honour,” he a told breakfast television show in the US.

Social media, on the other hand, had a mostly different take.

More proof that some very unpleasant types have won Time's Person Of The Year.

(ta @kleingypsyeyes) pic.twitter.com/wJwdE71Cqw — David Schneider (@davidschneider) December 7, 2016

Donald J. Trump, Time Magazine's Pervert of the Year.



"Person of the Year" pic.twitter.com/iWbsYr8Gh2 — Pin Head (@PiercedSkull) December 7, 2016

TIME Magazine Person of the Year: 1938 and 2016.



Spot the difference. pic.twitter.com/NYglF4Aiq7 — Cal (@Panayisalad) December 7, 2016

Donald Trump wins TIME Person of the Year 2016. Trump tweets that he would have won by more had all his ex-wives voted. — kristian carter (@krstncrtr) December 7, 2016

At this point, the Person of the Year should just be Satan — Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) December 7, 2016

If you're mad about Trump being named Time's Person of the Year, wait until you hear who was elected president. — Scotland Green (@ScotlandGreen) December 7, 2016

Congratulations Alec Baldwin for making TIME's Person of the Year. — Lizard Lou Who (@AmnesiaRose) December 7, 2016

thoughts and prayers for the @time "person of the year" cover photoshop person, that had one hell of a night making trump's face white — alex english (@alex3nglish) December 7, 2016

Here's the real Person of The Year. pic.twitter.com/pJy9zquIg9 — Samuel Bohorquez (@pizsam) December 7, 2016

Surprised to be named TIME's Person of the Year! They usually give it to the winner of the popular vote. pic.twitter.com/nvqaHzznqD — Donald J. Drumpf (@RealDonalDrumpf) December 7, 2016

Trump as person of the year isn't actually a shock when you look at past winners pic.twitter.com/GqjSn3cXyn — Fred Delicious (@Fred_Delicious) December 7, 2016