One year on nearly and I am updating this article, reflecting on Time’s last year’s choice of their Person of the Year and whether he merits getting the award a second time. Go to the end to check out my thoughts on the matter and analysis of his qualifications.

One of the stories to come to my attention today, due to comments on social media, positive and negative, comes under the title: “Donald Trump is Time magazine’s Person of the Year”:

“ US President-elect Donald Trump has been named Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2016. The property tycoon and reality TV star completed one of the biggest upsets in political history when he beat Hillary Clinton to the White House. Mr Trump told NBC’s Today show shortly after the announcement it was a “great honour” which “meant a lot” to him. He was chosen from a shortlist that included Mrs Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The former leader of the UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage, was also on the list for his role in the successful campaign for Britain to leave the European Union. Mrs Clinton came second in the selection, Time’s managing editor Nancy Gibbs said, adding that the choice of Mr Trump was “straightforward”. Time said the president-elect had redrawn America’s political rules. The magazine invites readers to vote on who they think has earned the title, but the final decision is made by editors. Others considered included gold-medal winning US gymnast Simone Biles, singer Beyonce Knowles and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg”.

Having closely followed Trumps meteoric and unexpected rise to take over the mantle of the most powerful person on the planet (at least potentially) and being a Time magazine subscriber since my early twenties, I was naturally interested. According to Wikipedia: “Person of the Year (called Man of the Year until 1999) is an annual issue of the United States news magazine Time that features and profiles a person, a group, an idea, or an object that “for better or for worse…has done the most to influence the events of the year.” It makes no judgment on the winner’s qualities but rather, having considered the evidence and the views of subscribers and staff, it comes to a view. While it is easy to put forward a case for alternative winners, having followed this tradition being carried out over many years, I am usually of the view that the person Time chooses merits the award, and this is true in the case of Donald Trump.

While the dust is beginning to settle insofar that many who were a short while back horrified at the prospect of a Trump presidency are now resolved to accept this as the democratic decision of the people and prepared to work in that framework.  It strikes me that Trump has already began to make his mark (which I blogged about earlier and will no doubt do so again) and this will have, whether we like it or not, a considerable impact on world events. While some who might be classed as being in the “Liberal, Elitist, Progressive, Globalist” camp are unhappy with what is happening, there are others who might be regarded as being in the ideologically opposite camp who might think otherwise. While I am more latter than former, as those who read my blogs know, I have many reservations still and believe on many issues, things are often not as black and white as those who take entrenched positions believe.

I was interested in what Franklin Graham had to say on his Facebook page today: “Hillary Clinton an American Moses?? Today TIME magazine named Donald J. Trump as their person of the year. And, oddly enough, they also called Hillary Clinton an “American Moses.” Maybe TIME should check their Bible. I find that a very interesting parallel. Moses led the children of Israel to wander around in the wilderness for 40 years. I wonder if TIME was saying that if Hillary Clinton were elected, she would have led us into a wilderness that would’ve taken us 40 years—or more—to find our way out of? The socialist agenda that she and the progressives had outlined for this country would’ve taken America at least that long to recover from—if ever!” My reaction oscillated between agreement and annoyance. I agree the Clinton agenda would be more harmful for America than a Trump one (although to reiterate there are aspects of Trumps character and policies I take issue with). As for Moses, he did lead the people out of slavery and the reason why they remained in the Wilderness for forty years was because of their disobedience to the will of God. What was then needed was a Joshua to lead them into the Promised Land.

Whether or not Trump is today’s Joshua or, with reference to another of my blog postings, today’s King Cyrus, remains to be seen. I hope and pray he will be for the world sure needs sorting out. But on the matter of “Person of the Year”, I have little doubt!

Update 25/11/17: One year on, I am informed Donald Trump (now President Trump) has been put forward again as Time’s Person of the Year. Castigated because of it by anti-Trumpers on social media, according to one unsympathetic press report: “Donald Trump claims Time Magazine told him he was ‘probably’ going to be Man of the Year, but he rejected it“, confirming he is or was in the frame for this year too. If there were any doubt he should have been given this award last time round, that has been arguably dispelled because of the revolution he has managed to trigger, which might be encapsulated in the notion of national identity reasserting itself in the face of the relentless rise of globalism and elites running the show, which maybe Trump has helped put a stop to, although whether this is permanent remains to be seen. What seems clear is he has shaken things up (whether for good or bad is a matter of opinion) in a way no other US President that I can recall has done, and just maybe the swamp is beginning to get drained as a result. He has also been a catalyst for ideological lines being drawn between pro and anti Trumpers, including among friends, leaving one wondering if civil war is imminent or even if it has already begun.

I have found myself blogging about Trump more than on any other subject since this  article was placed. I have done so, not just because of my fascination at things going where Trump has been a factor, but because it relates to the the culture wars that impact the future of humanity. I have even published an e-book titled: “Donald J Trump – bad, mad or good?“, which among other things considers his influence on the world stage and his accomplishments (or in the eyes of of his many detractors his failings). There may well be other contenders for this prestigious title, for there are others who make a big difference in the world, and we will soon know who that is, but putting aside my own opinions on the man, while mixed are more favourable than unfavourable on balance, even to the extent he may even be a modern day King Cyrus and why Christians like me love him. He stands head and shoulders above any rival as my Person of the Year. I also believe the battle is essentially spiritual and I need to pontificate less and pray more.