Editorial: Donald Trump has been right on key policy issues and has now achieved a tremendous election victory

​Donald Trump deserves warm congratulations on his remarkable presidential victory.

​The Republican Party candidate and former US president was never expected to win in 2015 when he launched his first presidential bid, and was still being discounted by ‘experts’ during the Republican primary process in early 2016 to select the party’s nominee for the election later that year. But he defeated a seasoned politician, Hillary Clinton, before losing to President Joe Biden four years later, in 2020.

Mr Trump was a chaotic commander-in-chief and his political career was thought to be over after the disgraceful way in which he refused to accept that result, and still does, culminating in a swarming of the Capitol in early 2021. But Mr Trump is often under-estimated by his critics, who typically do not understand his huge appeal.

Anyone attending a Trump rally, where he speaks effortless for two hours or more, delighting his audiences, would be hesitant to write him off. And so he has easily defeated the outgoing US vice president, Kamala Harris. Her dignified concession yesterday contrasted with Mr Trump’s churlish exit.

But for all his considerable personal flaws, Mr Trump has consistently hammered home warnings about issues that the US governing class have failed to control, above all immigration. He is right about the scandal of men in women’s sport. He is right to be so proud of America’s unique history. He was right in office to demand that European members of Nato pay more towards the defence alliance. We can only hope he doesn’t quit the pact. He is right about other things too.

It is very much to be hoped that his previous stint in the White House helps him to avoid the blunders of his first administration.

We hope, too, that he finds time to visit us here in Northern Ireland, as an honoured guest. He would love our golf courses!