A judge in Washington has mandated that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts compensate jazz artist Chuck Redd with over $250,000 in legal fees. This ruling follows the dismissal of the centre’s lawsuit against Redd for breach of contract by the same judge, Tanya Jones Bosier of the District of Columbia Superior Court.
In 2025, Redd, an American percussionist and vibraphonist legally known as Charles, withdrew from his long-standing position as the host of the centre’s annual free Christmas Eve concert in response to the controversial decision to include Donald Trump’s name on the building’s white marble portico. Redd’s attorney, Lisa J. Banks, stated to CBC News that “No citizen should have to spend time and money fending off baseless and politically motivated lawsuits filed by the Trump Administration.”
For years, Redd had been hosting and performing at the centre’s Christmas Eve concerts. However, he pulled out of the scheduled performance last year after Trump’s name was affixed to the building. Following the cancellation, the centre threatened to sue Redd, asserting that his withdrawal in response to the renaming honoring Trump was intolerant and costly. They aimed for $1 million in damages, calling it a “legal stunt.”
The centre did proceed with the lawsuit, which was subsequently thrown out by the Washington judge due to the centre’s failure to present a valid breach of contract claim. The judge’s decision was deemed appropriate by Redd’s lawyers, who criticized the Kennedy Center for attempting to silence opposition to the unauthorized name change through a baseless lawsuit against Chuck Redd.
Recently, a U.S. federal judge ruled that Trump’s name had been unlawfully added to the Kennedy Center. This ruling stemmed from a conflict initiated when Trump took charge of the centre and dismissed long-time chair David Rubinstein. Since then, various figures in arts and culture have distanced themselves from the centre or canceled appearances, including notable names like Canadian author Louise Penny, Shonda Rhimes, and Issa Rae.
The Kennedy Center confirmed the removal of the letters spelling out Trump’s name from the facade in June. The centre plans to appeal the judge’s decision, while continuing to host over 2,000 events annually and serving as the official home of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera.