Why did Time magazine fact check its own Person of the Year, Donald Trump; here's the reason
Why Time Magazine Fact-Checked Trump?
Donald Trump, who earned the accolade for the second time after first being named in 2016, was chosen over finalists Kamala Harris, Elon Musk, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Kate Middleton. According to Time, the decision to fact-check Trump was based on its editorial commitment to verifying claims made in high-profile interviews. While the magazine has conducted similar reviews for interviews with figures like Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu, this is the first instance involving a Person of the Year.
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During the interview, Time challenged Trump’s statements on topics like border security, autism rates, and crowd sizes at his rallies. For example, when Trump referred to his election victory as a “massive” mandate, the magazine noted that former President Barack Obama secured more electoral votes in both of his presidential campaigns.
The fact-check also addressed Trump’s assertion that he was open to giving interviews to anyone who requested them. Time pointed out that the president-elect declined an interview with CBS' 60 Minutes during his campaign and instead prioritized speaking to podcasts over mainstream media outlets. Reporters Simmone Shah and Leslie Dickstein highlighted this inconsistency, writing, “In the final months of his campaign, Trump prioritized interviews with podcasts over mainstream media.”
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