Trump declared most-Googled man of 2023
In a year of undeniably momentous events for the former president, Donald Trump has just taken the crown of most-Googled man over the course of the last 12 months, as Axios reports.
Claiming the title on behalf of women was pop music juggernaut Taylor Swift, according to the outlet's review of Google Trends data.
The purpose of the analysis, according to Axios, was to distinguish topics that were of intense – yet fleeting – interest among Americans from those that commanded consistent attention over the longer term.
Swift's average interest rating for the entire year was higher than Trump's, owing to events such as her release of new versions of old music, her blockbuster Eras Tour and accompanying film, and her burgeoning romance with NFL standout Travis Kelce.
Trump, however, as the most-Googled man for 2023, was the only individual to make both the top ranks of steady interest as well as top-5 biggest moments in time, in terms of online searches.
The former president's initial criminal arraignment and his final one of the year tied with the release of the Barbie movie for 5th most-searched moments, according to the Axios review.
Other top moments/events of the year included Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin's frightening on-field collapse, the Hamas terror attacks on Israel, the Titan submersible implosion, and the death of Friends star Matthew Perry.
Targets of longer-term interest in 2023 included not just Swift and Trump more generally, but also topics such as the war in Ukraine, President Joe Biden, Beyonce, LeBron James, and the conflict in Israel.
Considering the roller coaster of a year Trump had in 2023, the results of the Axios review are far from surprising.
Perhaps one of the most Google-worthy moments from the former president's last year was when he defiantly posed for a mug shot at the Fulton County Jail, a move that yielded an image ultimately responsible for a fundraising haul of at least $7 million.
Trump also made headlines -- and undoubtedly prompted countless online searches -- by blazing his own trail and eschewing every Republican presidential primary debate held thus far and building a massive lead over his competitors all the while.
Also stoking a great deal of public curiosity this year was Trump's decision to head to the scene of a devastating train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio to facilitate aid and meet with local officials, establishing a stark contrast between his initiative and the perceived inaction of the Biden administration.
Recently spurring what was almost certainly a flurry of Google searches was Trump's recent provocative statement to Fox News host Sean Hannity in which he declared that he had no intention of engaging in the dictatorial behaviors Democrats claim to fear, except on “day one” of a second term in the White House.
Considering the voluminous legal battles, high-profile trials, and the presidential election battle that all await him in 2024, Trump stands a very strong chance of reclaiming the title of most-Googled man when Axios completes another review this time next year.