As the drama of the American presidential election night played out on smartphones and TV screens around the world, the former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson appeared as a panelist on one British broadcaster's coverage of the proceedings on the other side of the Atlantic.

Despite numerous warnings from its hosts that he should stop trying to use his appearance on the live show to promote his autobiography – and that he should just "put it away" – Mr. Johnson continued to display and plug his new book until he was eventually removed from the studio.

"There’s absolutely nothing you can do to stop me," Johnson had insisted with his typical megalomaniacal fervor, before, in the words of one of the show's hosts, he was "fired for banging on about his book."

It was a timely reminder – if any were necessary – of the childishness and arrogance of a generation of populist Western politicians who seem unable to control their conduct, tell the truth, demonstrate understanding or empathy, utter normal human sentences, or do anything sensible with their hair.

Timely because, as we all know, the good folks of the United States have in their wisdom now chosen to bring back the world leader from everyone's most monstrous nightmares.

Following the US election, the United Kingdom's Prime Minister rejected an offer made by another similarly unhinged British politico, Reform UK's Nigel Farage, to build bridges with the newly re-elected Donald Trump.

The right-wing broadsheet newspaper the Daily Telegraph has described Trump's return to office as a "disaster" for Keir Starmer and "awful" for his Foreign Secretary. It certainly wouldn't have been their preferred result. It was, in the words of the BBC's Political Editor, the "more complicated outcome" for the Labour government.

Sir Keir was one of the first world leaders to offer what Downing Street called his "hearty" congratulations to Mr. Trump. He probably felt he had to. Although they met on a recent trip the UK premier made to the States, their relationship hasn't always been at all cordial.

During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump threatened legal action against Starmer's Labour Party for foreign electoral interference – namely for encouraging a few of their party members to volunteer to travel to America to help Kamala Harris with her campaign.

In 2018, Sir Keir accused Mr. Trump of failing to understand "humanity and dignity." His Foreign Secretary David Lammy had gone just a little bit further, calling the orange-faced reality TV star a "neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath". 

Starmer's Chancellor has described Trump's policies as "barbaric" and his Health Secretary has called him "an odious sad little man."

These comments may somewhat sour the transatlantic relationship – initially at least. But let us not forget that Boris Johnson – who eventually became one of the Donald's staunchest allies – once described Trump as "out of his mind" and someone whose "stupefying ignorance" made him unfit to be the US President.

Trump may like to go big and loud on the rhetoric of revenge, but he's also an unprincipled political opportunist. And that can sometimes make him behave not only unpredictably but also pragmatically. 

In the run-up to the 2016 presidential election, JD Vance – the man who is now his Vice-President Elect – was a bitter critic of Trump and compared the candidate who's now his new boss to Adolf Hitler. (And not in a way that might have pleased the burbling billionaire.)

So, the current British government might not after all need to be too worried about its relationship with the impending Washington administration. 

What it should be concerned about, however, will be the impacts of President Trump's stated policies. Impacts that may well stretch far beyond our own small national concerns.

Trump's protectionist plans look set to erect trade tariffs between the United States and even its closest allies.

That poses an immediate threat to global economic stability.

His incoherent and knee-jerk approaches to international diplomacy – and his promises to end conflicts in Europe and the Middle East – will doubtless ride roughshod over international norms, laws, organisations, and geopolitical alliances. He may well end up giving military support to whoever flatters him the most or promises him the most, exacerbating current wars and igniting new ones. 

That poses an imminent threat to world peace.

Trump has also pledged, of course, to abandon his nation's commitments to curb greenhouse gas emissions, and instead to drill for oil like there's no tomorrow, which, as a result, there might well not be.

That in itself poses an existential threat to the future of our planet.

Rather than mere quibbling about who said what about a convicted criminal and petty, puerile would-be dictator – who launched an armed insurrection against his own state and who has openly suggested that there'll be no further need for elections once he's back in power – these are the things which the rest of the world needs to worry about, as he continues his work to demolish what's left of American democracy.

Be afraid, everyone. Please be very afraid.