[New York Diary] Time Magazine Cover Dedicated to Trump

A Time Cover That Divides America
"Unprecedented" Trump Indictment Sparks Heated Debate

'Unprecedented.'

The cover of the American news weekly Time, released on the 5th (local time), can undoubtedly be called a 'tribute to Trump.' If you look closely at the bright orange fingerprint printed on the black background, it almost looks like a small mouth wide open, shouting. This immediately brings to mind former President Donald Trump, who appeared at the Manhattan Criminal Court on the 4th and underwent fingerprinting procedures as the first former president in U.S. history to be indicted.

The word 'unprecedented' on the cover was likely one of the most mentioned words last week in the local media, alongside terms such as 'hush money,' 'porn star,' 'indicted,' and '2024 presidential race.' Indeed, what other word could better summarize the situation in the U.S. last week? This Time cover has attracted attention, surpassing 1.1 million views on Twitter alone within less than 12 hours of being published online. Some shout 'the best,' while others counter with 'political retaliation.' This reflects the intense interest and political polarization within the U.S. surrounding this incident.

[Image source=U.S. news weekly magazine Time]

Since its founding in 1923, Time's covers have always been newsworthy by themselves. They carry significant symbolism, influence, and attention. It has been quite a while since former President Trump was the subject of a Time cover. As a former president and scandal maker, he was once a frequent feature. In 2018, during his term, CNN reported that he personally called a Time reporter saying, "Am I on the cover again this week? I have too many covers." Time announced in January 2021, after he left office, that "former President Trump ended his term with 35 Time covers."

Reviewing Time's cover database over recent years shows that Trump's appearances increased starting from the 2016 presidential campaign. The closer to the election, the more scandals surrounded him, and he appeared sometimes in illustrations, sometimes in photographs. Shortly after being elected president, he was also named 'Person of the Year.' The bottom of the cover included the phrase 'President of a Divided America.'

[Image source=U.S. news weekly Time]

Among the most famous 'Trump covers' among Americans is the July 2, 2018 issue. It depicts former President Trump standing in front of a young girl crying in fear after being separated from her mother during a raid. Next to his gaze down at the girl is the phrase 'Welcome to America.' This cover criticized the then-zero-tolerance border policy.

The works by Tim O'Brien, which became famous as the first-ever 'trilogy covers,' are also representative 'Trump satire covers.' In February 2017, shortly after inauguration, former President Trump is shown sitting at his desk in the Oval Office, caught in a storm. In March 2018, when allegations of hush money related to former porn actress Stormy Daniels surfaced, the storm continued, and half of the Oval Office was flooded. The trilogy culminated in the September 2020 cover, where a man presumed to be Trump, wearing a red tie, is struggling in the flooded Oval Office, with only his head above water.

Other notable covers include the so-called 'Trumputin' cover, which merges the faces of Russian President Vladimir Putin and former President Trump; a cover featuring a melting caricature of Trump; and one depicting Trump swimming through a sea dotted with floating COVID-19 viruses toward the White House. Given this popularity, it somewhat makes up for the past humiliation when a 'fake Time cover' featuring Trump was exhibited and later removed at Time's request. Of course, the content itself was unlikely to please him.

Trump's appearances on Time covers are expected to continue. This unprecedented indictment of a former president is bound to shake the political landscape ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Especially, this indictment is seen as just the beginning of the judicial risks surrounding Trump. Soon, a decision is expected on whether to indict him over allegations that he pressured the Georgia Secretary of State to overturn the 2020 election results. Investigations are also ongoing regarding the unauthorized removal of White House classified documents and incitement related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Among the many future Trump covers, none are likely to satisfy former President Trump.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.