US President-Elect Donald Trump Rings Opening Bell at NYSE After Being Named Time’s Person of the Year

President-elect Donald Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, following his second recognition as Time magazine's Person of the Year.

The honours mark Trump's extraordinary comeback, from a former president who refused to accept his election defeat four years ago to a president-elect who won the White House decisively in November, reported the Associated Press.

Photo Credit: PTI

Before ringing the bell at 9:30 a.m., a first for him, Trump addressed the exchange, calling it "a tremendous honour." He added, "Time Magazine, getting this honour for the second time, I think I like it better this time actually."

Accompanied by his wife, Melania, daughters Ivanka and Tiffany, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, Trump grinned as the crowd chanted "USA" before the trading day began. He then raised his fist in the air.

In his speech, he praised some of the people he has selected for his incoming administration, including Treasury pick Scott Bessent, and discussed some of his planned policies, including a promise to expedite permits, including environmental approvals, for projects and construction over $1 billion.

"I think we're going to have a tremendous run. We have to straighten out some problems, some big problems in the world," he said.

Sam Jacobs, Time's editor-in-chief, revealed on NBC's 'Today' show that Trump had been named Time's 2024 Person of the Year, stating that Trump was someone who "for better or for worse, had the most influence on the news in 2024." Jacobs added, "This is someone who made an historic comeback, who reshaped the American presidency and who's reordering American politics. It's hard to argue with the fact that the person who's moving into the Oval Office is the most influential person in news."

In an interview published Thursday, Trump reflected on his final campaign efforts and election victory, calling it "72 Days of Fury." He explained, "We hit the nerve of the country. The country was angry."

Trump was in Wall Street to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading. The Time magazine cover featuring him was projected onto a wall at the stock exchange, flanked by American flags. Trump stood on stage with family members and his incoming administration while his walk-on song, "God Bless the U.S.A.," played.

Trump had previously been named Time's Person of the Year in 2016, following his first election to the White House. He was also a finalist this year, alongside figures such as Vice President Kamala Harris, X owner Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Kate, the Princess of Wales. Jacobs noted that the decision was "easier than years past," despite "always a hot debate" over the honour.

The NYSE regularly invites prominent celebrities and business figures to participate in the 9:30 a.m. opening. This was Trump's first time doing so, a ceremonial act that has become a symbol of culture and politics.

Trump has long been fascinated by his appearance on the cover of Time, having first appeared in 1989. He has falsely claimed to hold the record for cover appearances, with The *Washington Post* reporting in 2017 that he had a fake image of himself on the cover hanging in several of his golf clubs.

Earlier this year, Trump gave interviews to the magazine for a story that ran in April. Time's billionaire owner, Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, had criticised Harris for not granting the magazine an interview during her campaign against Trump.

In his most recent interview, Trump reiterated his intention to pardon most of those convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, stating, "It's going to start in the first hour. Maybe the first nine minutes."

He also commented that he would not require members of his administration to sign a loyalty pledge, saying, "I think I will be able to, for the most part, determine who's loyal." However, he added that he would dismiss anyone who does not follow his policies.

On the ongoing war in Gaza, Trump stated his desire to end the conflict, mentioning that Netanyahu knows his position. When asked if he trusted Netanyahu, Trump replied, "I don't trust anybody."

The incoming president also addressed plans for mass deportations, asserting he would have the authority to deploy the military for this effort, despite the Posse Comitatus Act, which generally prohibits the military from engaging with civilians. "It doesn't stop the military if it's an invasion of our country," he said. "I'll only do what the law allows, but I will go up to the maximum level of what the law allows."

Trump has long crafted his image as a wealthy real estate developer, a persona he cultivated on the TV show *The Apprentice* and during his presidential campaign. His election victory was partly due to resonating with Americans' anxieties about the economy's impact on the middle class.

In an interview with CNBC after ringing the bell, Trump compared the planned federal workforce cuts to the firings he made on The Apprentice. "We're going to be doing the same thing, I can tell you. Unfortunately, there's too many of them," he said.

After the event, he walked the trading floor, shaking hands with traders.