Far from meeting the expectations of him fading away, Mr Trump is going from strength to strength and it is his fellow Republicans who are falling by the wayside.
Despite his outspoken, and often crude, remarks about his political opponents, Mr Trump is exposing a nerve usually hidden from view in American society - the idea of self-preservation.
The fact the United States is seen as a melting pot of immigration is being set aside.
The latest outburst by Mr Trump against Democrat and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton was labelled vulgar, even as his supporters cheered him on.
Mr Trump wants to turn the United States into a fortress, preventing Muslims, in particular, from entering the country.
He is successfully playing upon the fears of those who have witnessed the worst of tragic killings in the US by those professing to follow the teachings of the Koran.
Republican challenger Jeb Bush, the son and brother of former presidents, has called Mr Trump a joke but Mr Bush - who was expected to be a frontrunner to take on Mrs Clinton next year in the actual presidential race - is polling at 3%. Who is joking now?
And Mrs Clinton is no shoo-in for the Democrat nomination as she is being strongly challenged day-by-day by renegade Democrat Bernie Sanders.
Mr Sanders is following the model set by President Barack Obama in tapping many small donations from a huge number of supporters rather than going after the large donations from corporations.
What sets Mr Trump aside is his ability to fund his own campaign.
The Republican Tea Party movement has, until now, been able to control the agenda simply through the enormous wealth of its members and benefactors.
Not this time.
The consternation about what to do with Mr Trump is palpable as his ratings defy gravity.
Those waiting for his support to collapse in the last Republican debate of the year were sadly disappointed.
Watching the debates from a safe distance, New Zealanders can be forgiven for wondering about the level of engagement by Americans as they come to select their presidential candidate.
The primary system is complicated and success in the Iowa caucus on February 1 for Mr Trump and Mrs Clinton will see them handily placed to gather the momentum needed to secure them the necessary voter support.
The uncomfortable truth for America is the amount of support being shown for Mr Trump with his ideas of building a wall to keep out Mexicans, to stop Muslims from entering the US and for his admiration of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Mrs Clinton and Mr Sanders are debating the issues and policies they want for America; not many are listening.
The presidential nomination campaign now is all about Mr Trump and who he will insult next.
Previously, he has indicated he will not stand as an independent if he does not get the Republican nomination; but who can now rule that out as the man changes his position on issues daily, if not more frequently.
The only people who can realistically stop Mr Trump from becoming the most powerful man in the world as president of the US on November 8 next year are Republican supporters.
So far, they have shown no inclination to do so.
With the Christmas break now behind them, perhaps the voters will now take a bit more time to consider the risks of Mr Trump's policies and the legacy he may leave if elected president.
