Gov. Greg Abbott named to TIME’s list of 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2024

Published 2:38 pm Wednesday, April 17, 2024

From Staff Reports

Gov. Greg Abbott has been named as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME Magazine in its 2024 TIME100 list, the governor’s office announced Wednesday.

“We have worked tirelessly to ensure Texas remains a beacon of freedom and opportunity for the entire world, and it is an honor to be recognized for all we have accomplished by being named as one of the most influential people in the world by TIME100,” Abbott said in a press release. “From building the eighth-largest economy in the world to leading a historic border security mission amidst the most prolific border crisis our nation has ever seen, one thing remains clear: where Texas leads, others follow.”

Abbott said he is proud of the work the state has accomplished and looks forward to “building an even bigger, better Texas for generations to come.”

According to TIME, Abbott is one of the world’s top leaders, particularly for his efforts on the border crisis, bringing national attention for busing migrants to sanctuary cities through Operation Lone Star.

TIME’s article, written by TIME senior correspondent Philip Elliott, notes Abbott is a “talented room reader.” During his nine years as governor, TIME says Abbott has “proved adept at simultaneously throwing red meat to his conservative base while tempering pushback from the state’s liberal enclaves.”

Still, Elliott writes Abbott “has masterfully needled Washington, through both unending legal challenges and agitating stunts, such as sending buses of migrants to Democratic cities.”

However, Elliott noted some “missteps,” including Abbott’s “handling of an ice storm that snowballed into an energy crisis, and initially praising the calamitous police response to the Uvalde school shooting.” Nevertheless, TIME states Abbott remains one of his party’s “most persuasive pitchmen, especially on immigration, where he’s constantly pushing at the boundaries of what states can do on enforcement.”

TIME’s annual TIME100 list recognizes the 100 most influential individuals from across the world who have made a profound impact in business, entertainment, politics, science, and more. The categories are broken down into Artists, Icons, Titans, Leaders, Innovators and Pioneers.

On Tuesday, Tyler-born and White house-raised native Patrick Mahomes was announced as one of the TIME100, prominently recognized on one of its four magazine covers for TIME100 2024.

To see the full list, visit https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2024.