Donald Trump, Kim Jong-un: Time Person of the Year 2017 nominees list revealed

TIME magazine has released the shortlist for its prestigious “Person of the Year” award — and readers aren’t happy about the finalists.

KIM Jong-un has made the shortlist for Time magazine’s Person of the Year, joining the ranks of the United States President, a powerful Saudi Arabian prince and social justice activists.

However, the inclusion of the North Korean dictator has sent Twitter into a spin with people questioning the American magazine’s decision.

Some are asking why Time is glorifying a leader who has threatened the world.

Can someone please explain to me why Kim Jung Un is on Time's short list for Person of the Year??? 🤔🤔

— Cort Everhart (@CortEverhart) December 4, 2017

So Kim Jung Un is nominated for person of the year for time magazine.

They literally just nominated a psychopath that wants to destroy America with Nuclear weapons.

God help us all. pic.twitter.com/EVwfQfv9ah

— Nathan Lucas (@Nathankjlucas) December 4, 2017

Selecting Kim Jong Un as “Person of the Year” would be an embarrassment. @Time. An American magazine shouldn’t glorify a maniac who’s threatened to bomb the US and it’s allies.

— Britt McHenry (@BrittMcHenry) December 4, 2017

I know it's about influence and not positive impact but idea of calling Kim Jong-Un, someone who breaks almost every existing human rights violation, "person of the year" makes my stomach hurt.

— Clinton Hamilton (@CRayH_) December 4, 2017

Kim Jung Un made the list for Time's Person of the Year... Yeah you did great this year by killing your own people and threatening nuclear war

— . (@Connor_Quinn1) December 4, 2017

While the person on the cover isn’t selected for popularity or worthiness, some still disagreed with the move to include Kim on the shortlist.

Others joked they hope Kim receives the title purely to annoy Mr Trump.

Think of the tweets if Kim Jong Un beats Trump for Time’s person of the year 😂😂😂😂 @TIME

— Michael Hill (@MichaelHill0528) December 4, 2017

Bezos, Kim, Mueller, Kaepernick, or the #MeToo movement would all trigger Trump as Time magazine person of the year.

— trifecta (@3fecta) December 4, 2017

I hope kim Jon un gets the time person of the year so badly

— Snek🌲nationalist (@SnekNationalist) December 4, 2017

On its website Time states: “Since 1927, TIME has identified the Person of the Year, recognising the person or group of people who most influenced the news during the past year, for better or for worse.”

The magazine goes on to say previous shortlists have included Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Black Lives Matter activists, CRISPR scientists and Beyoncé.

US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un have both been short-listed for the Time Person of the Year. Picture: Mandel Ngan and Ed Jones/AFP

If Kim does receive the title, it also wouldn’t be the first time a dictator has appeared on the magazine cover.

Hitler also graced the cover in 1938.

Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin was also awarded the title twice, in 1939 and again in 1942.

That isn't the point of the person of the year. That's how Hitler won it once.

— TypicallyLogical (@Jack_W002) December 4, 2017

Kim has dominated global headlines this year with his bellicose rhetoric, several missile launches and a nuclear test.

Just last week, North Korea conducted its 20th missile test of the year, with the secretive state claiming it’s weapons are now capable of reaching the US mainland.

Kim and Mr Trump have been engaged in a war of words over the missile tests, raising fears of conflict breaking out on the Korean Peninsula.

Mr Trump, who was Time’s 2016 person of the year, last month boasted on Twitter that he’d already turned the honour down after Time had called him to say he would “probably” receive the title.

Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named “Man (Person) of the Year,” like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot. I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2017

Time denied contacting the president, tweeting back that it “does not comment on our choice until publication, which is December 6,” according to The New York Post.

Mr Trump was named Person of the Year in 2016. Picture: Time/AFP

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, and 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick are also included in the list.

The Dreamers immigrant group, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins, social media movement #metro and Special Counsel Robert Mueller round out the list.

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