A judge in Washington has ruled that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts must compensate jazz musician Chuck Redd with over $250,000 in legal fees. This decision follows the dismissal of the center’s lawsuit against Redd for breach of contract by the same judge, Tanya Jones Bosier from the District of Columbia Superior Court.
In 2025, Redd, an American drummer and vibraphonist, whose legal name is Charles, withdrew from his role as the host of the center’s annual free Christmas Eve concert in protest of the controversial decision to add Donald Trump’s name to the building’s white marble portico. Redd’s lawyer, Lisa J. Banks, stated to CBC News that no individual should have to endure the burden of defending against unfounded and politically motivated lawsuits initiated by the Trump Administration.
Redd had been a longstanding host and performer at the center’s Christmas Eve concerts, but he canceled his appearance last year shortly after Trump’s name was affixed to the building’s facade. Subsequently, the center threatened to sue Redd, alleging that his withdrawal in response to the renaming was intolerant and financially damaging to the non-profit institution, seeking $1 million in damages. However, the lawsuit was later dismissed due to the center’s failure to assert a valid breach of contract claim.
The unauthorized addition of Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center was deemed illegal by a U.S. federal judge in May, marking the culmination of a dispute initiated when Trump assumed control of the center, removing longtime chair David Rubinstein in February. Numerous figures in the arts and culture sphere have distanced themselves from the center or canceled engagements since the controversial renaming, including Canadian author Louise Penny, Shonda Rhimes, and Issa Rae.
The letters spelling out Trump’s name on the Kennedy Center facade have since been removed, confirmed by the center in June. Despite this, a tarp still covered the scaffolding, obscuring the view of any remaining words on the building.
The Kennedy Center intends to challenge the ruling through an appeal, while Redd’s legal team has supported the judge’s decision as fitting. They criticized the Kennedy Center, under Trump’s influence, for attempting to stifle opposition to the illegal name change through a baseless lawsuit against Chuck Redd.
As a prominent cultural institution, the Kennedy Center hosts more than 2,000 events annually and serves as the official home of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera.
