Trump, in TIME 'Person of the Year' interview, says he told Netanyahu to end war

TIME Magazine officially named President-elect Donald Trump as its "Person of the Year," via an announcement on X/Twitter on Thursday. In his exclusive interview with the publication, Trump discussed moves to bring the war in Gaza to an end, as well as extend the Abraham Accords to several other Arab states, including Saudi Arabia. 

The publication used the opportunity to recognize Trump as the greatest influencer of the year on global affairs, for better or for worse.

In the interview, Trump elaborated on his commentary and advice to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on bringing the war in Gaza to a close by the time of the transition of power. He told TIME that Netanyahu knows his intention to end the war. When prompted and asked if he trusted Israel's prime minister, he stopped and said that he doesn't trust anyone.

TIME touted Trump's solidification of the Abraham Accords as "the most comprehensive plan for a two-state solution since President Clinton." They also noted that Trump's appointee for US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, was a major supporter of the settlement movement and actively calls for Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

Trump first appeared with the title of "Person of the Year" when he rose to the US presidency in 2016, shaking up expected results. Now, the story is framed as a "remarkable comeback and a resurgence that has the potential to upend modern American politics," CNN wrote.

Donald Trump is TIME's Person of the Year https://t.co/IjP5W2otV5 pic.twitter.com/CVHX9o0DB3

— TIME (@TIME) December 12, 2024

Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange to celebrate the unveiling of the magazine cover, US media reported.

Time noted that ranges of people, from his biggest supporters to biggest critics, all were living in the "Age of Trump."

"He dispatched his Republican rivals in near record time. For weeks, he campaigned largely from the New York ­courtroom where he would be convicted on 34 felony counts. His sole debate with President Joe Biden in June led to his opponent’s eventual exit from the race. Sixteen days later, he survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally. In the sprint that followed, he outlasted Vice President Kamala Harris, sweeping all seven swing states and emerging from the election at the height of his popularity," TIME wrote.

They noted how political rivals and allies have aligned themselves to match him.

In his interview with the publication, he touched on several important world issues, including the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Critical of Ukraine, Russia War

US President-elect Donald Trump criticized Ukraine's use of US-supplied missiles for attacks deep into Russian territory in a Time magazine interview published on Thursday, comments that suggest he would alter US policy toward Ukraine.

"It's crazy what's taking place. It's crazy. I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We're just escalating this war and making it worse. That should not have been allowed to be done," Trump said in an interview coinciding with him being named TIME's Person of the Year.

President Joe Biden last month lifted the US ban on Ukraine using US-supplied longer-range missiles for strikes deep inside Russia, his latest attempt to boost Kyiv in its battle to repel a Russian invasion force from his country.

The decision came after pleas from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. The White House cited Russia's deployment of 15,000 North Korean troops along the battlefront as the main reason why Biden changed his mind.

Trump has said he would like to bring a quick end to the nearly three-year-old war. He told TIME he had a "very good plan" to help but that if he reveals it now "it becomes almost a worthless plan."

Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, met last weekend with Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

He told TIME that the number of people dying in the conflict is not sustainable.

"I'm talking on both sides. It’s really an advantage to both sides to get this thing done," he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.