A judge in Washington has mandated that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts compensate jazz artist Chuck Redd with over $250,000 US for 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, an American drummer and vibraphonist also known as Charles, withdrew from his role as the host of the center’s annual free Christmas Eve concert in protest of the decision to include Donald Trump’s name on the building’s facade. Redd’s lawyer, Lisa J. Banks, stated to CBC News that the lawsuits filed by the Trump Administration were baseless and politically motivated.
Redd had been a regular host and performer at the center’s Christmas Eve concerts for years. However, he pulled out of the event last year shortly after Trump’s name was added to the building. In response, the center threatened to sue Redd, claiming his withdrawal was intolerant and costly.
The legal action taken by the center was ultimately dismissed by the Washington judge due to a lack of valid breach of contract claim. In a separate ruling, a federal judge determined that Trump’s name had been unlawfully added to the Kennedy Center.
The conflict began when Trump assumed control of the center, resulting in the removal of long-time chair David Rubinstein. Numerous figures in the arts and culture sphere have distanced themselves from the center or canceled appearances since the renaming controversy, including notable personalities like Louise Penny, Shonda Rimes, and Issa Rae.
The Kennedy Center has since removed the letters spelling out Trump’s name from the facade, with only “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” remaining. The center plans to appeal the decision regarding Trump’s name removal, while Redd’s lawyers have supported the judge’s ruling as appropriate.
The Kennedy Center, a prominent venue hosting over 2,000 events annually and serving as the official home of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera, continues to be at the center of this ongoing legal and naming dispute.