Who are the nominees for Time's 2022 Person of the Year?

Devika Rao, Staff writer
·3 min read
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Time logo Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Time has released its shortlist for the 2022 Person of the Year. Here's a quick look into the nominees:

Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was on the shortlist in 2019, is back. He broke precedent by gaining a third term as the leader of the Chinese Communist Party as well as solidified his intention to not provide Taiwan with independence. He also called Russian President Vladimir Putin an "old friend" following his invasion of Ukraine and is facing protests and backlash because of his controversial "zero COVID" policy.

The U.S. Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has been incredibly influential this year due to its conservative supermajority. It made controversial rulings like overturning Roe v. Wade (1973) and reducing the power of the Environmental Protection Agency in West Virginia v. EPA (2022). The Court is continuing to hear potentially landmark cases involving affirmative action, voting rights, and freedom of religion.

Elon Musk

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has garnered controversy surrounding his takeover of Twitter. He declared Twitter a safe haven for free speech and reinstated a number of previously banned accounts, including former President Donald Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). He also removed Twitter's COVID misinformation policy and laid off half of Twitter's staff.

Liz Cheney

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wy.) has led the House's Jan. 6 committee. She has dedicated herself to preventing Trump's re-election and in turn, lost her House seat as well as caucus leadership. Despite this, Cheney has said she will do "whatever it takes to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office."

Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has captured the world's attention amid his nation's fight against Russia, including joining the front lines. Zelensky has continued to be vocal about the intensity of the conflict and has repeatedly encouraged the Ukrainian people.

MacKenzie Scott

The ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott used her 4 percent stake in Amazon to become one of the biggest philanthropists in the world. Scott has given away approximately $12.8 billion to charity including $84.5 million to the Girl Scouts and $122.6 million to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

Protesters in Iran

The Iranian people have been protesting for months against the country's oppressive government following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police. The protests have garnered worldwide support and have led Iran to examine its law requiring women to wear hijabs.

Ron DeSantis

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) won his re-election bid by a very comfortable margin, growing his momentum as a top contender for the Republican presidential nomination. DeSantis also sparked controversy by flying migrants to locations across the country including Martha's Vineyard.

Gun safety advocates

The U.S. has experienced over 600 mass shootings this year, which has sparked a number of protests across the country. Some of the more notable ones were the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, as well as the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs, Colorado. On June 11, over 400 protests took place across the country and President Biden signed a bipartisan gun control bill.

Janet Yellen

In 2021 Janet Yellen became the first woman Treasury Secretary in U.S. history. She has been a vital source in tracking whether a recession is coming due to the high inflation rates. Yellen has endorsed Biden's financial plan and spoken about the inherent biases in the economic system.

The Person of the Year will be announced on Dec. 7.

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