Time magazine has performed something unprecedented for its Person of the Year: a comprehensive fact-check of statements made by Donald Trump in an interview.
This fact-checking accompanies a transcript of the discussion the president-elect had with the magazine’s reporters and is described as a “12-minute read.” Within this, 15 specific statements made by Trump are scrutinized.
This marks the second occasion that Trump has received the Time honor, having previously been named Person of the Year in 2016, the year he was first elected president. Time’s editors expressed that the decision wasn’t particularly challenging when compared to other contenders like Kamala Harris, Elon Musk, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Kate Middleton.
On Friday, Time disclosed that no other Person of the Year has undergone such a detailed fact-check in the nearly 100 years that the magazine has highlighted a figure deemed to have significantly influenced the news. However, similar fact-checking has been conducted for previous interviews with individuals such as Joe Biden, Netanyahu, and Trump.
This practice of fact-checking has historically caused friction between Trump and various media outlets, particularly highlighted during his singular debate with Democrat Kamala Harris this past fall, where ABC News fact-checked him. A request for remarks made regarding this fact-checking on Friday went unanswered.
Time’s examination raised concerns about numerous claims Trump made, including those related to border security, autism, and the audience size at one of his rallies. The magazine pointed out that Trump’s declaration of a “massive” voter mandate was misleading, citing how former President Barack Obama secured more electoral votes in both of his presidential campaigns.
Additionally, the magazine challenged Trump’s assertion that he would grant interviews to anyone who approached him if time allowed, noting that he declined a request to appear on CBS’s “60 Minutes.” The article mentioned that during the later stages of his campaign, Trump favored interviews with podcasts over traditional media.
