SO, the embodiment of the American Dream becomes the 45th President of the United States.
The son of an immigrant who made a fortune through sheer, hard graft, Donald Trump’s rallying cry to “the forgotten men and women of our country, who will be forgotten no longer,” won the day.
Voters badly affected by job losses, globalisation and immigration, have taken their democratic revenge on a smug establishment of politicians, bankers and multinationals.
Extraordinarily, the 70-year-old property tycoon and reality TV star, who lives in his own tower in Manhattan, has never held political office.
Now in a stunning upset for those who ridiculed his presidential campaign, Trump is the most powerful man in the western world.
Almost universally, the pundits expected America to vote for the more experienced and politically-savvy Hillary Clinton.
But something in Mr Trump’s message got through to the voting masses, turning entire swathes of the USA from blue to red and handing the Republicans a magnificent victory.
Now Trump is king of all he surveys, including the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Supreme Court – unlike Mr Obama, who was blocked by both houses of Congress during his presidency.
With such great power comes great responsibility and we must wish the new President wise counsel, for all our sakes.
On a more global scale, this is the second recent ‘shock’ outcome to have confounded pollsters and I predict more.
While Brexit and the US election do not, at first sight, have much in common, the same ‘forgotten’ people have spoken.
Democracy may not suit everyone, indeed too many politicians ignore it once elected, but the ballot box is certainly returning power to the people, and long may that be the case.