President-elect Donald Trump has been selected as Time magazine’s 2016 Person of the Year. The mogul, 70, opened up about the distinction shortly after the reveal on Wednesday, December 7.
“To be on the cover of Time as Person of the Year is a tremendous honor,” Trump told the Today show’s Matt Lauer. “It’s a very important magazine, and I’ve been lucky enough to be on the cover many times this year.”
During the interview, Lauer asked Trump about his excessive Twitter usage. In recent weeks, he has slammed Boeing, the cast of Hamilton, and Saturday Night Live.
“I think I am very restrained, and I talk about important things,” Trump replied. “It’s a modern-day form of communication … I get it out much faster than a press release. I get it out much more honestly than dealing with dishonest reporters.”
The TIME Magazine cover showing late age breast feeding is disgusting–sad what TIME did to get noticed. @TIME
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 14, 2012
Trump has slammed Time via Twitter, too. In 2012, he bashed the magazine for doing a cover about extended breast-feeding. In 2013, he called Time “flimsy” like a “free handout at a parking lot.”
Last year, Trump was on Time’s short list, but ultimately lost to German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Editors of the publication choose the person they think has influenced the world the most.
Just took a look at Time Magazine-looks really flimsy like a free handout at a parking lot! The sad end is coming-just like Newsweek!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 2, 2013
“So which is it this year: better or worse? The challenge for Donald Trump is how profoundly the country disagrees about the answer,” Time managing editor Nancy Gibbs wrote in this year’s issue. “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, Donald Trump is Time’s 2016 Person of the Year.”
Others who made Time’s short list include Beyoncé and Trump’s Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.
Trump spoke with Time for the feature in his Trump Tower residence in NYC. Reporter Michael Scherer described Trump’s home (located on floors 66 to 68) as “princely.” Employees wore cloth slipcovers on their shoes, the ceiling murals featured Greek gods, and throw pillows and paper napkins were monogrammed with the family name.
Melania Trump‘s desk, meanwhile, was covered with books of Gianni Versace’s fashions and Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry. Sitting “front and center” was the book The White House: Its Historic Furnishings and First Families.
“What amazes a lot of people is that I’m sitting in an apartment the likes of which nobody’s ever seen,” Donald Trump told Scherer. “And yet I represent the workers of the world.”
The former Celebrity Apprentice host believes that his unpredictability will be his biggest strength in the Oval Office. “It’s a very exciting time. It’s really been an amazing time,” he told Scherer. “Hopefully we can take some of the drama out.”
Read the rest of Donald’s interview here.