Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Kennedy Center Must Pay Musician $250,000 in Trump Name Spat
The Kennedy Center is a famous place in Washington, D.C., where people watch music and shows.
A jazz drummer named Chuck Redd used to play a Christmas concert there every year.
The leaders of the Kennedy Center, chosen by President Donald Trump, decided to put Trump's name on the building.
Chuck did not like that, so he said he would not play his concert.
The Kennedy Center got upset and sued Chuck for breaking his promise.
A judge said the Kennedy Center was wrong and that Chuck was allowed to speak up.
The judge also said the Kennedy Center must pay Chuck's lawyer bills, which cost more than $250,000.
Chuck's lawyer said nobody should have to spend time and money fighting unfair lawsuits.
Now the Kennedy Center says it will appeal, which means asking a higher court to take another look.
A DC Superior Court judge ordered the Kennedy Center to pay jazz drummer Charles "Chuck" Redd more than $250,000 in legal fees.
Redd canceled his Christmas Eve "Jazz Jam" concert after Trump-appointed trustees voted to add President Donald Trump's name to the Center.
The Kennedy Center sued Redd for breach of contract, but the case was dismissed in June as retaliation for Redd's protected public advocacy.
Judge Tanya Jones Bosier ruled Redd was the "prevailing party" and rejected the Center's objections to the fee request as "out of all proportion to the issue at stake."
The Kennedy Center plans to appeal, and it has since removed Trump's name from the building after losing a separate court fight.
- Who
- Jazz drummer Charles "Chuck" Redd and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, with Judge Tanya Jones Bosier overseeing the case.
- What
- The Kennedy Center was ordered to pay Redd more than $250,000 in legal fees after its breach of contract lawsuit against him was dismissed.
- When
- The fee ruling was issued Monday; the underlying lawsuit was dismissed in June.
- Where
- District of Columbia Superior Court, Washington, D.C.
- Why
- Redd canceled his Christmas Eve concert after Trump-appointed trustees voted to add President Trump's name to the Center, and the court found the ensuing lawsuit had retaliated against his protected public advocacy.
Redd and his supporters
Kennedy Center and Trump appointees
Lawsuit legitimacy
Redd and his supporters
The lawsuit was baseless, meritless and politically motivated, filed to silence opposition to the name change; no citizen should have to pay to fend off such litigation.
Kennedy Center and Trump appointees
The Kennedy Center argued Redd breached his contract to host the Christmas concert when he announced he would not perform.
Trump name change
Redd and his supporters
Adding Trump's name was an illegal name change, and Redd's opposition was protected public advocacy that the Center retaliated against.
Kennedy Center and Trump appointees
Trump's appointees to the board of trustees voted to add the president's name to the Center as part of their authority.
- Legal fee award
- More than $250,000
- Plaintiff
- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
- Defendant
- Charles "Chuck" Redd
- Judge
- Tanya Jones Bosier
- Court
- District of Columbia Superior Court
- Case number
- 2026-CAB-1457
- Underlying ruling
- Lawsuit dismissed in June, finding retaliation for public advocacy
- Status
- Kennedy Center plans to appeal
- Redd's role
- Jazz drummer and host of the holiday "Jazz Jam" concert