A judge in Washington has ruled that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts must compensate jazz artist 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 Judge Tanya Jones Bosier of the District of Columbia Superior Court.
In 2025, Redd, an American musician known as Charles, withdrew from his position as host of the center’s annual free Christmas Eve concert in protest of the addition of Donald Trump’s name to the building’s facade. Redd’s attorney, Lisa J. Banks, stated that the lawsuit against Redd was baseless and politically motivated.
Having been a regular performer at the center’s Christmas Eve concerts, Redd opted out of the event last year after Trump’s name was prominently displayed on the building. The center threatened to sue Redd for withdrawing from the concert, citing financial damages, but the lawsuit was eventually dismissed by the Washington judge due to a lack of valid breach of contract claims.
A federal judge ruled in May that the inclusion of Trump’s name on the Kennedy Center was unlawful. This ruling stemmed from a series of changes initiated when Trump took over the center, including the dismissal of long-serving chair David Rubinstein.
Since these alterations, several prominent figures in the arts and culture community have distanced themselves from the Kennedy Center, including Canadian author Louise Penny, Shonda Rimes, and Issa Rae. The lettering of Trump’s name on the building has been removed, with only “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” visible.
The Kennedy Center plans to appeal the decision, while Redd’s legal team considers the judge’s ruling appropriate. The institution hosts a wide array of events annually and serves as the official home of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera.