A judge in Washington has ruled that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts must pay jazz musician Chuck Redd 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 of the District of Columbia Superior Court.
In 2025, Redd, an American drummer and vibraphonist, withdrew from his regular role as host of the center’s annual free Christmas Eve concert. He made this decision in protest of the center’s controversial action of adding Donald Trump’s name to the building’s facade. Redd’s attorney, Lisa J. Banks, stated to CBC News that the lawsuit filed by the Trump Administration was baseless and politically motivated.
Redd had been a long-time host and performer at the center’s Christmas Eve concerts until he backed out last year due to Trump’s name being displayed on the building. The center threatened to sue Redd for withdrawing, citing intolerance and seeking $1 million in damages. However, the lawsuit was later dismissed by the Washington judge for failing to establish a valid breach of contract claim.
A federal judge ruled in May that Trump’s name was unlawfully added to the Kennedy Center, beginning a conflict that started when Trump took control of the center by dismissing David Rubinstein as the chair. Since then, various figures in arts and culture, including Canadian author Louise Penny, Shonda Rimes, and Issa Rae, have distanced themselves from the center or canceled appearances.
Following the court ruling, the Kennedy Center plans to appeal while Redd’s lawyers praised the judge’s decision as appropriate. The institution hosts over 2,000 events annually and serves as the official home of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera.