It would be right and proper to praise Donald Trump’s shifting policy positions as signs of shift to sanity (rather than any particular wing of politics). It would also be right to applaud the appointment of some of his harsher critics to be aides and members of his cabinet. Equally, it would be deeply worrying if Mr Trump showed signs of wanting to surround himself only with members of his family and a variety of sycophants. The world would also be concerned if the President-elect seemed intent on actually implementing some of what might be termed the political locker-room talk of the campaign.

With Mr Trump, unpredictably, we see evidence of both encouraging and deeply dispiriting trends. In his recent interview with The New York Times, Mr Trump completed a series of policy “flip-flops” that give hope to those who believe that he might yet prove a more pragmatic and sensible statesman than seemed possible only a few weeks ago. Indeed, his choice of newspaper was itself symbolic, as he had routinely abused the title during his rallies. In his Thanksgiving Day message Mr Trump was uncharacteristically emollient. He is a difficult man to read.

In any case, we now know, or have had it confirmed by the man himself, that he isn’t going to waste time or rub salt into the nation’s wounds by going after Hillary Clinton. So much for “jail her”. We know, more remarkably, that he is softening his stance on climate change, which offers some chance that the Paris Treaty on the environment will be endorsed by him and ratified by the Republican-controlled Senate. Mr Trump has proposed two important female appointments recently as well, with no sexist braggadocio attached to them – Nikki Haley, Governor of South Carolina, to ambassador to the UN, and Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary. Both women made no secret of their dislike for the Trump style. An even more outspoken critic, former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, is still in with a chance as Secretary of State. If Mr Romney were appointed that would be an enormous reassurance to America’s Nato allies in Europe, and offer the prospect of a more measured approach to American diplomacy.

Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didn’t know the air conditioner didn’t work and sweated like dogs, and they didn’t know the room was too big because they didn’t have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me —and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY

Then again, we also know that Mr Trump is capable of some appalling misjudgements, such as his suggestion that Nigel Farage be appointed HM Ambassador to the United States, tearing up the TTP treaty and, more grievously, making Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions the Attorney General in the Trump administration, news that was met with wide condemnation. And we also know that members of the Trump family may exercise undue influence over his decision-making (though this would be far from the first time in American history that this sort of thing had happened).