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By Gabe Whisnant
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The president of the Kennedy Center sharply criticized a musician Friday for canceling a Christmas Eve performance at the venue after the White House announced that President Donald Trump’s name would be added to the building.
Richard Grenell, the center’s president, accused musician Chuck Redd of political intolerance in a letter responding to the sudden withdrawal, which Grenell said came just days before the scheduled free concert. The letter, shared with The Associated Press, said the cancellation was explicitly tied to the recent renaming of the facility, which Grenell described as honoring Trump’s efforts to preserve the arts institution.
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“Your decision to withdraw at the last moment — explicitly in response to the Center’s recent renaming — is classic intolerance and very costly to a nonprofit arts institution,” Grenell wrote. He said the Kennedy Center would seek $1 million in damages, calling the cancellation a “political stunt.”
Why It Matters
In an email earlier this week to the AP, Redd said he canceled the performance after learning of the name change. He said he first saw the update on the Kennedy Center’s website and then on the building itself, prompting him to pull out of the event.
What To Know
A drummer and vibraphone player, Redd has led the Kennedy Center’s holiday “Jazz Jams” since 2006, taking over the role from bassist William “Keter” Betts. The annual concerts have been a staple of the venue’s holiday programming for nearly two decades.
The renaming has sparked controversy and legal questions. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and Congress passed legislation the following year establishing the center as a living memorial to him. The law restricts the board of trustees from dedicating the building to anyone else or placing another individual’s name on its exterior.
The White House has said the decision to add Trump’s name was approved by a board appointed by the president. Legal scholars and historians have disputed that move, arguing congressional approval would be required.
Kennedy’s niece, Kerry Kennedy, has said she intends to remove Trump’s name once he leaves office, while former House historian Ray Smock has echoed concerns about the legality of the change.
What People Are Saying
Roma Daravi, Vice President of PR for the Kennedy Center, shared in a statement to Newsweek, "Any artist cancelling their show at the Trump Kennedy Center over political differences isn’t courageous or principled—they are selfish, intolerant, and have failed to meet the basic duty of a public artist: to perform for all people. Art is a shared cultural experience meant to unite, not exclude. The Trump Kennedy Center is a true bipartisan institution that welcomes artists and patrons from all backgrounds—great art transcends politics, and America’s cultural center remains committed to presenting popular programming that inspires and resonates with all audiences."
Redd said in an email to The Associated Press on Wednesday, “When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X last week, "Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation. Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur."
Joe Kennedy III, Kennedy's grandnephew and a former House member wrote on X last week, "The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law. It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial, no matter what anyone says."
What Happens Next
The controversy is likely to move next to Congress and the courts, as legal scholars and Kennedy family members argue that federal law bars adding any name other than John F. Kennedy to the center. Lawmakers could seek to block or reverse the change through legislation or oversight, while opponents weigh potential legal challenges.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Update: 12/27/25, 9:18 a.m. ET: This article was updated with new information.
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