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By Gabe Whisnant
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A Christmas Eve jazz concert that had become a Kennedy Center holiday tradition for more than two decades has been canceled after President Donald Trump’s name was added to the performing arts complex, according to the show’s host.
Musician Chuck Redd said he decided to call off the performance after the White House announced last week that Trump’s name would be affixed to the center. As of Friday, signage on the building reads “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
“When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert,” Redd said in an email to The Associated Press on Wednesday.
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Newsweek has reached out to the Kennedy Center via email on Wednesday night for comment.
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Why It Matters
The White House said the decision to add Trump’s name was approved by the president’s handpicked board of trustees. Legal scholars and historians, however, have questioned the move, arguing it violates federal law governing the center. Trump had publicly floated the idea of changing the center’s name for months.
What To Know
Redd, a drummer and vibraphone player, has hosted the center’s annual holiday “Jazz Jams” since 2006, taking over from bassist William “Keter” Betts. Over his career, Redd has performed with jazz legends including Dizzy Gillespie and Ray Brown. The Kennedy Center’s website now lists the Christmas Eve performance as canceled.
The White House said the decision to add Trump’s name was approved by the president’s handpicked board of trustees. Legal scholars and historians, however, have questioned the move, arguing it violates federal law governing the center. Trump had publicly floated the idea of changing the center’s name for months.
Congress established the Kennedy Center in 1964, one year after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, designating it as a living memorial to the late president. The law explicitly bars the board from turning the center into a memorial for anyone else or adding another person’s name to the building’s exterior.
Kennedy’s niece, Kerry Kennedy, has said she intends to remove Trump’s name once he leaves office. Former House historian Ray Smock and others have said any name change would require congressional approval.
Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, denounced the Kennedy Center’s renaming to include President Donald Trump, telling protesters at a rally Saturday that he would seek to “reverse this” through an "amendment on the interior appropriations bill" when Congress returns to session early next year.
Trump, a Republican, has taken a far more active role in the Kennedy Center during his second term after largely ignoring it during his first. He has replaced much of its leadership, reshaped the board and installed himself as its chairman. He also personally hosted this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, breaking with the tradition of presidents attending primarily as guests.
The changes have prompted backlash from artists. Several performers have withdrawn from scheduled appearances since Trump returned to office, including Issa Rae and Peter Wolf. Lin-Manuel Miranda also canceled a planned run of “Hamilton,” adding to growing tension between the administration and the arts community.
What People Are Saying
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X last week, "Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation. Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur."
Joe Kennedy III, Kennedy's grandnephew and a former House member wrote on X last week, "The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law. It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial, no matter what anyone says."
What Happens Next
The controversy is likely to move next to Congress and the courts, as legal scholars and Kennedy family members argue that federal law bars adding any name other than John F. Kennedy to the center. Lawmakers could seek to block or reverse the change through legislation or oversight, while opponents weigh potential legal challenges.
In the meantime, the Kennedy Center is expected to continue operating under its new branding as protests and artist cancellations persist.
Updates: 12/24/25, 6:29 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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