Strap in. Day one of Donald Trump’s second term as president of the United States was by turns fascinating, funny and frightening: the 21st century’s foremost political showman has given us a good glimpse at the next four years.

He spoke of planting a US flag on Mars but failed to plant a kiss on his first lady’s cheek, thanks to the interference of his wife’s strangely funereal hat, and rambled for hours from behind the Resolute desk about his journey back to power and his immediate plans to remake America in his own image. Certainly, he has a mandate to do so: unlike after his previous election victory, he was sworn into office with the support of a clear majority of US voters.

The inauguration made for compelling theatre, but it was........

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