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Kennedy Center demands damages after concert cancellation
The leadership of Washington DC's Kennedy Center has filed a claim for $1 million in damages against musician Chuck Redd, who canceled his annual Christmas Eve performance in protest of the venue's renaming to include former President Donald Trump.
Background of the dispute
Redd, a drummer and vibraphonist, has hosted the holiday concert at the Kennedy Center every year since 2006. His decision to cancel this year's event followed a board vote to rename the institution the Trump Kennedy Center, a move that also saw Trump appointed as chairman.
In a letter to Redd, Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell accused the musician of staging a "political stunt" that inflicted financial harm on the nonprofit arts organization. Grenell cited poor ticket sales, lost donor support, and the last-minute cancellation as key factors in the $1 million demand.
"Your dismal ticket sales and lack of donor support, combined with your last-minute cancellation, has cost us considerably. This is classic intolerance and very costly to a nonprofit arts institution."
Richard Grenell, Kennedy Center President
Renaming sparks controversy
The White House announced last week that the Kennedy Center's board had unanimously approved renaming the venue the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. The decision was framed as recognition of Trump's role in renovating the building, but it drew immediate backlash from Democrats, artists, and members of the Kennedy family.
Within hours of the vote, crews began etching Trump's name onto the building's façade, and the center's website and social media accounts were updated to reflect the change. Redd told the Associated Press that the sight of the new name on the building prompted his decision to cancel the concert.
Legal challenges emerge
Ohio Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty has filed a lawsuit to block the renaming, arguing that the 1964 law establishing the Kennedy Center as a memorial to the late president requires congressional approval for any name change. Beatty, a designated board member under U.S. law, claimed she was muted during a meeting when she attempted to voice opposition to the vote.
The Kennedy Center was originally conceived in the 1950s as a national performing arts venue. After President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963, Congress designated it as a living memorial in his honor.
Reactions and next steps
Redd has not publicly responded to the Kennedy Center's demand for damages. Meanwhile, the legal battle over the renaming is expected to intensify, with Beatty's lawsuit likely to face procedural hurdles in the coming weeks. The White House has not commented on the musician's cancellation or the broader controversy.
