On December 7 Time magazine announced that president-elect, Donald Trump had been selected as “Person of the Year”. Similarly to the election results many people all over had mixed opinions about the  nomination. I can’t agree with America for electing him for president, but I most certainly agree with Time magazine’s choice in giving him this nomination.

Trump had more competition here than in the election with some of the most accomplished people in the world including, Hillary Clinton, Simone Biles, Beyonce, Mark Zuckerberg, etc.

Nancy Gibbs, editor in chief of Times Magazine made statements the day of their decision on Trump. She noted that just because “Person of the Year” might have the stigma of being an honor it, in fact, it doesn’t have to be given to someone whose influence is particularly good, “A lot of people think that person of the year, just because of the nature of the name is an honor. Certainly, there have been years where we have recognized people whose influence has been all together unassailably worthy but normally that’s not the case.”

And Trump isn’t the first person who received the title that took many people by shock. Adolf Hitler (1938)  and Joseph Stalin (1939 & 1942) both received the “Person of the Year” award. Both men did beyond criminal acts but it is very hard to argue with the fact that they both did not have the most influence on the world in the years elected.

Gibbs adds how her staffs choice was easy and very straight forward in choosing who would take the “Person of the Year” award for 2016. Even though many people don’t like the man it’s hard for one to argue that he hasn’t had the most influence, “I know there are a lot of people who disagree with so much of what Donald Trump said and are apprehensive about what his presidency means for them and the country. I think I would challenge them to suggest that someone else this year had more influence in a way of greater surprise in what he did in 2016.”

Time magazine states that Trump’s biggest influence on the United States was his act of dividing such a grand country, “president of the divided states of America”. In an interview with Matt Lauer, host of “Today” Trump mentions how the US has already been divided, “When you say divided states of America, I didn’t divide them. They’re divided now. I mean there’s a lot of division, and we’re going to put it back together and we’re going to have a country that’s very well healed.”

Many Americans worry that giving Trump another title might alter his ego more than it already is. I would say to them think about all the many people who have been given this award in previous years and remember that his influence on the country is creating change and after this election cycle I think the first action we need to embrace is changing the way we, as Americans, are doing things.