Donald Trump’s presidency is likely to be the second shortest ever, a leading historian and author has claimed.

Professor Ronald L Feinman predicted that the former reality TV star will stay in the top job "between the 31 days of William Henry Harrison in 1841", who died pneumonia and the "199 days of James A. Garfield in 1881", who died 79 days after he was shot by an assassin "after terrible suffering and medical malpractice".

Even if his time in office is "dragged out", Professor Feinman predicted that Mr Trump is unlikely to last the 16 months and 5 days of 12th president Zachary Taylor, who died of a digestive ailment while Head of State in 1850.

Donald Trump is fact-checked over claim he won the biggest electoral college victory since Reagan

The 20th century American history professor, who recently published a book about the unfortunate fates of US leaders, added that he thought the “Pence Presidency” was inevitable. He was referring to Mr Trump's Vice President, Mike Pence, who would take over if Mr Trump was to leave the leadership.

In a blog post, he added that he thought it was likely that Mr Trump will be impeached or forced to resign in a matter of weeks.

His prediction comes shortly after the White House admitted the President was told several weeks ago that his National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had not told the truth about a telephone call with a Russian diplomat.

The news fuelled broader concerns about his closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the role his country may have played in helping Mr Trump's election.

Professor Feinman, who teaches at Florida Atlantic University, suggested the businessman turned politician is more generally unsuitable for office.

Vice-presidents: Behind every good candidate... Show all 8 1 /8 Vice-presidents: Behind every good candidate... Vice-presidents: Behind every good candidate... pg-32-romney-1-getty.jpg Mitt Romney insists that his running mate will be someone who is ready and qualified to take over as president if necessary Getty Images Vice-presidents: Behind every good candidate... pg-32-romney-2-ap.jpg Voters put off by Mitt Romney may warm to Florida's Marco Rubio, pictured AP Vice-presidents: Behind every good candidate... pg-32-romney-3-getty.jpg Those who made a difference, for better or worse - Lyndon Johnson: The Texan LBJ may have been the last vice-presidential nominee who helped the ticket in terms of electoral votes, shoring up the wobbling Democratic south for John Kennedy in 1960. Ironically, Johnson was among the most ineffectual occupants of the office, and hated the job Getty Images Vice-presidents: Behind every good candidate... pg-32-romney-4-ap.jpg Spiro Agnew: He brought little to the Republican ticket in 1968. But in 1973 he became only the second vice-president in history to resign, after admitting taking bribes when he was governor of Maryland. Agnew’s fate prefigured that of his boss Richard Nixon nine months later AP Vice-presidents: Behind every good candidate... pg-32-romney-5-ap.jpg Sarah Palin: For a few days, John McCain’s choice of Palin, then governor of Alaska, seemed inspired. But her pitiful lack of qualification soon became clear. The notion of Palin sitting the proverbial 'heartbeat from the presidency' undoubtedly was a factor in his defeat AP Vice-presidents: Behind every good candidate... pg-32-romney-6-ap.jpg Al Gore: The selection of Gore in 1992 was a groundbreaker, as Bill Clinton ignored traditional criteria of generational and geographic balance and picked a young southern moderate like himself, on a 'Double Bubba' ticket. Gore was also first 'modern' – i.e. more consequential – vice-president. AP Vice-presidents: Behind every good candidate... pg-32-romney-7-getty.jpg Dick Cheney: Cheney, from rock-ribbed Republican Wyoming with just three electoral votes, was of little electoral help to George W. Bush in 2000. But he went on to become arguably the most powerful and most divisive vice-president in US history Getty Images Vice-presidents: Behind every good candidate... pg-32-romney-8-ap.jpg Dan Quayle: Astonishment greeted George H.W. Bush’s pick of the young Indiana Senator as his running mate in 1988. As vice-president Quayle became a figure of fun (famously even misspelling the word 'potato' in a school class.) His gaffes may have marginally contributed to Bush’s loss in 1992. AP

“Many foreign policy professionals are shaking their head at Trump’s inappropriate behaviour and language every time he speaks in public, or issues a Twitter comment, and his instability and recklessness”, he said, citing Mr Trump's decision to hold a security meeting over the North Korean missile test in a public space in earshot of other people as “a sign of his failure to act responsibly”.

“The fact that Vice President Mike Pence played a major role in pushing Flynn out is a sign that Pence is already asserting himself with Trump” he said, adding the vice President often appears uncomfortable with Mr Trump’s “freewheeling and careless behaviour”.

No US president has ever been successfully impeached and removed from office. Although attempts were made to remove Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson both were acquitted by the Senate.