After the Kennedy Center board, handpicked by President Donald Trump, voted to rename the building, a Christmas Eve concert was canceled, and legal threats followed fast.
Richard Grenell, president of the Kennedy Center, sent a letter to drummer and vibraphone player Chuck Redd. He said they would seek $1 million in damages for “this political stunt.”
The letter read, “Your decision to withdraw at the last moment—explicitly in response to the Center’s recent renaming, which honors President Trump’s extraordinary efforts to save this national treasure, is classic intolerance.”
Grenell added, “Your action surrenders to the sad bullying tactics employed by certain elements on the left, who have sought to intimidate artists into boycotting performances.”
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The renaming vote came last week. Less than 24 hours later, workers affixed “THE DONALD J. TRUMP AND” above “THE JOHN F. KENNEDY MEMORIAL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.” The institution’s website now shows: “The Trump Kennedy Center.” Members of the Kennedy family immediately denounced the change.
Even The New York Times reported, “Even though Mr. Trump had already been calling it that for months in trollish posts online, he acted shocked that his handpicked board had thought to do this for him.” Trump told reporters he was “honored” and “surprised” by the vote.
Chuck Redd has hosted the annual “Jazz Jams” Christmas Eve concert since 2006. He told AP that once he saw the name change, he “chose to cancel our concert.” He added that he often included a student musician in the show, which is “one of the many reasons that it was very sad to have had to cancel.”
Grenell also aimed at Redd personally. He wrote, “The contrast between the public’s lack of interest in your show with the success we are experiencing under our new chairman is drastic.” Trump’s board elected him chairman in February.
Grenell added, “The most avant-garde and well-regarded performers in your genre will still perform regularly, and unlike you, they’ll do it to sold–out crowds regardless of their political leanings.”
The Kennedy Center website still describes Redd as “an accomplished performer.” But the Washington Post reports that ticket sales were already low. “Nearly nine months after Trump became chair of the center and more than a month into its main season, ticket sales for the Kennedy Center’s three largest performance venues are the worst they’ve been in years, according to a Washington Post analysis of ticketing data from dozens of recent shows as well as past seasons. Tens of thousands of seats have been left empty.”
The legal fight is growing. Representative Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio and ex officio board member, filed a lawsuit against Trump and the center’s representatives. She said the renaming is illegal because Congress must approve it.
Beatty wrote on X, “For the record. This was not unanimous. I was muted on the call and not allowed to speak or voice my opposition to this move. Also, for the record, this was not on the agenda. This was not consensus. This is censorship.”
For the record. This was not unanimous. I was muted on the call and not allowed to speak or voice my opposition to this move. Also for the record, this was not on the agenda. This was not consensus. This is censorship. https://t.co/D1zGV7xiWV pic.twitter.com/npNvSIy6sV
— Rep. Joyce Beatty (@RepBeatty) December 18, 2025
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
