President-elect Donald Trump continues his streak of high-profile moments. On Thursday, he is set to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange as TIME Magazine officially names him “Person of the Year.” Trump made a ceremonial appearance on Wall Street to kick off the day’s trading, a tradition first carried out by Republican President Ronald Reagan in the mid-1980s, the AP reports. The president-elect showed up with wife Melania Trump, his children, and those he has nominated to his Cabinet. They entered the room to Lee Greenwood’s smash hit, “Proud To Be An American.”
WOAH. Trump just showed up to the New York Stock Exchange with members of his cabinet in front of his giant TIME Person of the Year cover.
America is back. ? pic.twitter.com/2u2vtC8kzp
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) December 12, 2024
Trump was previously named TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2016, following his first election to the presidency. According to the AP, he was already a finalist for this year’s honor, alongside figures such as Vice President Kamala Harris, X owner Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Kate, the Princess of Wales. Ringing the opening bell, a powerful symbol of U.S. capitalism since the 1880s, marks a first for Trump, despite his decades as a prominent New York businessman.
The first guest to ring the New York Stock Exchange opening bell was a 10-year-old boy named Leonard Ross in 1956, who earned the honor by winning a quiz show with his knowledge of the stock market. President Ronald Reagan carried out the ceremonial tradition in the mid-1980s. Using Wall Street terminology, where a bear market signifies a decline and a bull market indicates growth, Reagan declared that if Congress approved his proposed tax overhaul and budget restraints, “our economy will be free to expand to its full potential, driving the bears back into permanent hibernation.”
Trump’s triumphant return to his home city comes some nine months after a sham trial in which he was convicted of criminally hiding payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2026 election. Trump, who was convicted on 34 felony counts, has called for the case to be dismissed, citing his election win and the necessity for him to govern. The unprecedented situation of a future president facing sentencing for a criminal conviction has left both Judge Juan Merchan and Soros-backed Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg—whom Trump views as political adversaries—in a difficult position.
The hush money case loomed over Trump’s campaign, particularly after a Manhattan jury convicted him in May for falsifying business documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels. Bragg’s attorneys argued the payment should have been reported as a political expense, though the Federal Election Commission had previously determined it was not an in-kind contribution.
One month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that presidents cannot be criminally charged for official acts. Trump’s legal team argues that his authorization of the payment from the Oval Office qualifies as such. The defense also criticized testimony from Michael Cohen, a convicted liar and felon, as well as evidence that was incorrectly provided to the jury. Prosecutors countered, stating that only a “sliver” of the evidence in their case was in dispute, but they also took testimony from former Trump administration officials like Hope Hicks.
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