The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has been renamed "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts" following a vote by its Board of Trustees. This renaming has prompted a federal lawsuit from U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty, who claims the change is unlawful. Concurrently, the Kennedy Center announced its intent to file a $1 million lawsuit against jazz musician Chuck Redd for canceling his annual Christmas Eve performance, citing the name change as his reason. The institution is also experiencing a series of artist withdrawals and the planned departure of the Washington National Opera.
Kennedy Center Renaming and Rationale
The Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted to rename the institution, which now officially carries the designation "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts." Shortly after the vote, Trump's name was affixed to the exterior of the Washington, D.C., performing arts venue, and the center's website logo was updated to reflect the new name.
The White House and Kennedy Center leadership stated the renaming acknowledges former President Donald Trump's contributions, including strengthening the center's finances, modernizing its building, and ending what they described as "divisive woke programming." A White House spokesperson characterized the board's unanimous vote as marking "a new era of success, prestige, and restored grandeur" for the institution. The renaming followed earlier changes to the center's board, with new appointees subsequently voting to make Trump chairman of the board.
Legal Challenge to the Name Change
U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty (D), an ex-officio member of the Kennedy Center Board, has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Beatty's lawsuit challenges the legality of the renaming, asserting that altering the name of a memorial honoring President John F. Kennedy requires an act of Congress. She has requested the court declare the board's vote null and void.
In her lawsuit, Beatty claims she attempted to voice opposition during the board meeting regarding the name change but was muted. The legal filing describes the renaming as "more reminiscent of authoritarian regimes than the American republic," attributing this characterization to the actions of the sitting President and individuals appointed by him to the board.
Musician's Cancellation and Lawsuit Intent
Jazz musician Chuck Redd canceled his annual Christmas Eve performance at the Kennedy Center, an event he had hosted since 2006. Redd stated his decision was directly related to the name change, telling the Associated Press, "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 has a two-decade association with The Smithsonian, which includes the Kennedy Center.
In response, the Kennedy Center announced its intent to file a $1 million lawsuit against Redd. Richard Grenell, President of the Kennedy Center, sent a letter to Redd criticizing the cancellation as a "political stunt." Grenell stated that Redd's "dismal ticket sales and lack of donor support, combined with your last-minute cancellation has cost us considerably," and issued official notice of intent to seek $1 million in damages. Roma Daravi, a spokesperson for the Kennedy Center, characterized Redd's decision as a "disservice to the arts" and described artists canceling shows over political differences as "selfish, intolerant, and having failed to meet the basic duty of a public artist: to perform for all people." Grenell also posted on social media platform X, stating, "The left is boycotting the Arts because Trump is supporting the Arts. But we will not let them cancel shows without consequences. The Arts are for everyone - and the Left is mad about it." Daravi further asserted that "Art is a shared cultural experience meant to unite, not exclude."
Broader Artist Withdrawals and Institutional Departures
The name change and prior leadership restructuring at the Kennedy Center have been met with opposition from some individuals and organizations, leading to several artist withdrawals and a planned institutional departure:
- Washington National Opera (WNO) Relocation: The WNO announced its decision to relocate performances from the Kennedy Center and seeks an early termination of its affiliation agreement to resume operations as an independent nonprofit entity. WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello cited changes in the center's leadership, a decline in box office revenue, and donor confidence, reporting ticket sales approximately 40% lower than prior to the leadership change due to boycotts.
- Stephen Schwartz's Withdrawal: Composer Stephen Schwartz, co-writer of "Mass," which opened the Kennedy Center in 1971, declined to participate in a May 16 event. Schwartz stated the Kennedy Center "no longer represents the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be" and that appearing there had become "an ideological statement." Kennedy Center Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravi and President Richard Grenell disputed reports of Schwartz's withdrawal, stating he "was never discussed nor confirmed and never had a contract by current Trump Kennedy Center leadership." Despite these statements, Schwartz's name and photo were removed from the Kennedy Center's website after previously being advertised for the event.
- Other Cancellations and Resignations: Since Trump's appointment to the board and subsequent election as chairman, and further following the name change, other artists have withdrawn from performances or severed ties. These include "Hamilton" canceling its 2026 run, actor and producer Issa Rae canceling an appearance, and folk musician Rhiannon Giddens relocating her concert. Other performances canceled after the name change included shows by the New York Dance Company, jazz band The Cookers, jazz musician Wayne Tucker, and folk singer Kristy Lee. Television producer Shonda Rhimes resigned from the center’s board of trustees, while soprano Renée Fleming and musician Ben Folds stepped down as artistic advisers.
Kennedy Center interim executive director Richard Grenell commented on the broader cancellations, stating, "The artists who are now canceling shows were booked by the previous far left leadership. Their actions prove that the previous team was more concerned about booking far left political activists rather than artists willing to perform for everyone regardless of their political beliefs. Boycotting the Arts to show you support the Arts is a form of derangement syndrome."