Time magazine has named US President-elect Donald Trump as its Person of the Year.

"It's a great honour, it means a lot," Mr Trump told NBC's Today show in an interview shortly after the announcement.

Time's managing editor Nancy Gibbs called the choice "straightforward".

The magazine wrote that it had chosen Mr Trump "for reminding America that demagoguery feeds on despair and that truth is only as powerful as the trust in those who speak it, for empowering a hidden electorate by mainstreaming its furies and live-streaming its fears, and for framing tomorrow's political culture by demolishing yesterday's".

Image: Donald Trump has been working on his transition

It is the 90th time the magazine has named a person who has had "the greatest influence, for better or worse, on the events of the year".


"So which is it this year: Better or worse? The challenge for Donald Trump is how profoundly the country disagrees about the answer," wrote Time, which on the cover called Mr Trump "President of the Divided States of America".

"The year 2016 was the year of his rise; 2017 will be the year of his rule, and like all newly elected leaders, he has a chance to fulfill promises and defy expectations."

Image: Donald Trump's defeat of Hillary Clinton came as a shock to pollsters and pundits

The real estate magnate and former reality TV star was seen as a long shot to win the Republican nomination, let alone the presidency.

His victory over Hillary Clinton at the US election last month was one of the biggest political upsets in the country's history.

Mr Trump won 306 electoral votes, enough to make him President even though his Democratic rival won the popular vote.

The President-elect has now begun the process of preparing for the White House and filling cabinet posts.

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In an accompanying article, the magazine said Mr Trump had redrawn America's political rules.

Image: Nigel Farage had been shortlisted - along with Vladimir Putin, Beyonce and others

"He has upended the leadership of both major political parties and effectively shifted the political direction of the international order," the magazine said.

Ms Gibbs said Mrs Clinton was the runner-up in the contest.

In the year of Brexit, ex-UKIP leader Nigel Farage had also been among the finalists.