It was past midnight in Florida this week when President-elect Donald J. Trump decided to mock Justin Trudeau on social media, calling the Prime Minister of America’s neighbor the “governor” of “the Great State of Canada”.

The middle-of-the-night jest was the latest reminder that Trump, a well-known night owl, seems to rev up after the sun goes down. He has been the President-elect (again) for 37 days, but he has been most active in the evenings, hosting lavish dinners, announcing nominations and firing off texts to his aides.

Of the more than 80 personnel announcements Trump has made since Election Day, 45 have been announced in social media posts and emails that he has sent after 6pm (04.30am IST). Many have come after 10 pm (8.30am), prompting a wave of social media chatter and television coverage that sometimes continues throughout the night and into the early morning hours.

One of his veteran staff members said Trump was known to leave voice mail messages in the middle of the night saying: “This is your favourite President.” He sometimes follows up the next day, suggesting the person might want to share the audio with his friends and family.

Steven Cheung, who will be the communications director in Trump’s White House, said that “important work is being done day and night”. He added that the round-the-clock activity is a sign of how serious Trump is about getting work done starting on Day 1.

“The only complaints I’ve heard are from reporters who are angry their dinner plans at Le Dip and their cocktail parties are spoiled,” he said, referring to the restaurant Le Diplomate, a frequent gathering spot in Washington for journalists.

Trump’s transition team says he holds back-to-back meetings during the day in the tearoom or in his office at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. On Thursday, he spoke about dock automation with the leaders of the International Longshoremen’s Association.

New York Times News Service