The Trump presidency

Donald Trump is soon to become the 45th president of the United States, a political outcome which has divided not only America but also many parts of the world.

Mr Trump won the presidential election last year, seeing off Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton, who was expected to become the first female president of the US.

Many people wrote off Mr Trump's chances, calling him all sorts of names. But the underbelly of American politics had become too much for some voters to take. Those voters were angry enough at the perceived anointment of Democratic royalty to the presidency and took action accordingly.

Also going for Mr Trump was the record of voting in the US. Very few presidents of one political persuasion had been followed by a president from the same party. Like in many countries, a long-term leader and his or her party is often seen as tired and voters look for a change of direction.

Inauguration plans for this Saturday (NZ time) have been blighted from the start. It has been nearly impossible for the Trump team to attract entertainers to perform and now a team of influential Democrats say they will boycott the ceremony, undermining the very democracy they claim to support.

No-one should be in any doubt about how difficult Mr Trump's elevation to becoming the most powerful man in the world will be for many. Civil rights veteran John Lewis has been openly hostile to the thought of Mr Trump as president, and is leading the boycott by the politicians.

Also, reports from the US say tens of thousands of people are preparing to protest on the streets of Washington DC during inauguration week. While some will march in support of the president or various causes, a growing number will be show their opposition to the newly-elected president and his administration.

The National Park Service has provided 22 permits for First Amendment events that will take place over inauguration week on park service land that includes the National Mall and the White House. Each protest ranges in size from 50 people to 200,000. However, any protest of fewer than 25 people does not require a permit.

Protest marches are also being held in New Zealand, by people who have never and will never meet Mr Trump - protesting against something they have yet to experience.

Mr Trump has put the world on notice he wants America to return to the days of past - to ''greatness''. Vehicle manufacturers have already changed their plans for expansion and are pouring billions of dollars into expanding their US plants rather than shifting to Mexico, thereby saving and creating jobs.

The president-elect has been openly hostile to thoughts of the US taking more refugees, particularly Muslims and Mexicans who he claims will take US jobs. He condemned Angela Merkel's decision to let in 890,000 migrants as a ''catastrophic mistake'' and dismissed the European Union as basically a vehicle for Germany.

US security agencies such as the FBI and CIA have come under extreme criticism by Mr Trump, who has been warned to keep off Twitter where he replies with venom to any criticism.

The warming of relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin worries Western European leaders and Britain. Mr Trump's disdain for Nato, which he described as ''obsolete'', and his apparent contempt for the EU, are causing concern at the highest level.

The Republicans hold power at the highest levels of US politics, the presidency, the two houses of Congress and most of the governorships in US states. This shift in power away from the left-leaning Democrats is nothing new. It has been happening around the world as voters fall out of favour with feel-good policies.

During the election, Mr Trump was portrayed as wealthy, chauvinistic, dangerous, egocentric and conflicted. And yet he still won the presidency.

Now the world waits, with bated breath, to see how the Twitter-happy tycoon handles the extraordinary pressure of being the leader of the so-called free world.