A judge in Washington has directed the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to compensate jazz artist Chuck Redd with over $250,000 in legal fees. This ruling follows the dismissal of the center’s lawsuit against Redd for breach of contract by Judge Tanya Jones Bosier of the District of Columbia Superior Court.
In 2025, Redd, a well-known American drummer and vibraphonist, withdrew from his longstanding hosting duties at the center’s annual free Christmas Eve concert in protest of the addition of Donald Trump’s name to the building’s portico. Redd’s attorney, Lisa J. Banks, stated that the lawsuit filed by the Trump Administration was baseless and politically motivated.
Having been a regular performer and host at the center’s Christmas Eve concerts for years, Redd pulled out of the event last year shortly after Trump’s name was displayed on the building. Subsequently, the center threatened to sue Redd, citing financial damages due to his last-minute withdrawal. However, the lawsuit was eventually dismissed by the Washington judge for lack of a valid breach of contract claim.
In a separate development, a federal judge ruled in May that the addition of Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center was unlawful. This decision stemmed from a series of changes initiated by Trump, including the dismissal of long-time Kennedy Center chair David Rubinstein earlier in the year.
Since these alterations, several prominent figures in the arts and culture sphere have distanced themselves from the center or canceled their appearances. Notably, the letters spelling out Trump’s name on the center’s facade have been removed, with only “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” remaining visible.
The Kennedy Center has expressed intent to appeal the court’s decision regarding Trump’s name removal, while Redd’s legal team has praised the judge’s ruling as appropriate. The Kennedy Center, known for hosting over 2,000 events annually and housing the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera, remains a key cultural institution in Washington.
