A judge in Washington has ruled that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts must compensate jazz musician Chuck Redd with over $250,000 US for legal fees. This decision follows the dismissal of the centre’s lawsuit against Redd for breach of contract by Judge Tanya Jones Bosier from the District of Columbia Superior Court.
In 2025, Redd, an American drummer and vibraphonist also known as Charles, withdrew from his longstanding position as host of the centre’s annual free Christmas Eve concert in protest of the addition of Donald Trump’s name to the building’s portico. Redd’s lawyer, Lisa J. Banks, stated that the lawsuits filed by the Trump Administration were baseless and politically motivated.
Having been a fixture at the centre’s Christmas Eve concerts for years, Redd backed out of his performance last year after Trump’s name was affixed to the building. Following his withdrawal, the centre threatened to sue Redd, citing his decision as intolerant and costly. However, the lawsuit was later dismissed by the Washington judge due to the centre’s failure to present a valid breach of contract claim.
A federal judge ruled in May that Trump’s name was unlawfully added to the Kennedy Center, stemming from a conflict initiated when Trump dismissed long-time Kennedy Center chair David Rubinstein. Since then, various figures in arts and culture have distanced themselves from the centre, including Canadian author Louise Penny, Shonda Rhimes, and Issa Rae.
The Kennedy Center has removed the letters spelling out Trump’s name from its facade, with only “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” remaining visible under a tarp covering scaffolding. The centre plans to appeal the judge’s decision, while Redd’s lawyers support the ruling as appropriate.
The Kennedy Center, known for hosting over 2,000 events annually and housing the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera, continues to navigate the aftermath of the controversy surrounding Trump’s name addition.