When President Donald Trump introduced himself as the chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the host of the 48th Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday night, the spectacle conjured the image of an alternate timeline: one in which Trump never ran for president, changing the course of American politics and culture indelibly, and instead continued his career as a television star and socialite who does things like hosts the Kennedy Center Honors.

In reality’s timeline, Trump is both president of the United States and the self-anointed emcee of the prestigious black-tie gala, which this year honored glam metal band Kiss, country legend George Strait, actor Michael Crawford, disco star Gloria Gaynor, and Sylvester Stallone.

“This is the first time a presiden

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