TIME Magazine Announces Controversial Person Of The Year Finalists

TIME magazine announced President-elect Joe Biden, President Donald Trump, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and the Movement For Racial Justice as this year’s Person of the Year finalists. 

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Each year, the magazine selects its candidates based on their influential impact, and not necessarily good character. Since the announcement of their handpicked finalists, TIME magazine has received heavy backlash for the selection of President Trump and the “Movement for Racial Justice” rather than saying Black Lives Matter or George Floyd, who they mentioned as the person that started the movement in the candidate description. 

TIME magazine’s Editor-In-Chief Edward Felsenthal shared the thought process behind nominating President Trump on the TODAY Show. 

“He’s not going away. He has completely changed the norms of campaigning from the White House,” Felsenthal said. 

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Felsenthal also said the Racial Justice Movement held great importance this year and is an extraordinary story. However, the failure to mention the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, or any black life who was an important staple in the movement this year, has been criticized as tone-deaf and the exact opposite of the #SayTheirName hashtag. The full recognition of these lives that were lost due to racial injustice is important.

TIME magazine will announce the Person of the Year at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.