President Trump’s first task will be to heal the discord sown by his own campaign

President Trump must repair the rift between his ruling party and the nation to which it bears so little resemblance

Donald Trump will be inaugurated as US President in January 2017

Had traditional political conventions held, the new President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, would never have progressed further than the early Republican primaries in the race for the White House. A curiosity of a candidate, more entertainer than statesman, and carrying more baggage than DHL, he was shameless in his approach to electioneering. In a world of “triangulated” politics aimed at capturing that elusive “centre ground”, a character as exotic as Mr Trump should have proved unable to come within miles, let alone metres, of the White House. Now, thanks to what was called his “authenticity” and the desperation of some Americans who feel left behind by globalisation, he is making his way up Pennsylvania Avenue. In January, he will take the oath of office as the 45^th President of the United States.

Mr Trump was surely blessed in the fatal flaws of Hillary Rodham Clinton and their exposure by the FBI. Without that it is perfectly possible to envisage that Mr Trump would have ended the campaign where he stood before FBI Director James Comey decided to tell Congress Ms Clinton was being investigated for breaches of national security. It was difficult for many Americans to vote for someone who was so obviously going to be unable to devote her full attention to the highest elected office in the Union. Their reticence about doing so was understandable.

While it can never be proven, it seems that it was her past behaviour as Secretary of State, as well as objections to her personality and the fact of her gender (no male candidate would have been judged quite so harshly on the same qualities or traits), that derailed Ms Clinton’s campaign.

Still, it is a remarkable triumph for Mr Trump when he had so little demonstrable support among female voters, the Latino community and people of colour. One thing that President Trump and his party must do is to heal the rift between his ruling party and the nation to which it bears, in some respects, so little resemblance to. So far there is not much in the new President’s record to suggest that will be high on his agenda.

Like Ms Clinton, Mr Trump may also prove plagued by legal issues in his time in office – he has said he will sue those women who accused him in recent months, a needless distraction. He also has huge national challenges to rise to – not least, the economy. Mr Trump’s fiscal policies are, at best, over-optimistic. At worst, they could slide the US so far into debt that the very stability of the nation’s public finances – and the wider global economy – are threatened. And while America’s friends and neighbours may feel some relief that Mr Trump has a conciliatory attitude to the other global nuclear superpower, there must be many who fear the sacrifices – of other nations’ freedom – Mr Trump will make to keep the US at peace with Putin.

For obvious reasons, there are many around the world who felt that Mr Trump was not a worthy contender for the office of US President – and not simply because it is his first elected post. For the moment, however, we can trust that his cabinet, the Supreme Court, Congress and public opinion will rein in his tendency to excess, and hope for the best.