The annual holiday show, hosted by musician Chuck Redd, had been a tradition for more than two decades. Redd said he decided to pull the plug after the White House announced that Donald Trump’s name would be added to the center.
As of last Friday, the building’s facade now reads The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. The White House said the president’s handpicked board approved the move, though legal experts argue it violates federal law.
“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 told The Associated Press.
Redd, a drummer and vibraphone player who has worked with jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Ray Brown, has led the center’s Christmas “Jazz Jams” since 2006. He took over the role from bassist William “Keter” Betts. The Kennedy Center’s website now lists this year’s show as canceled.
The center was established as a living memorial to John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. Congress passed a law in 1964 naming the venue in his honor. That law also clearly states that the building cannot be turned into a memorial for anyone else or have another person’s name added to its exterior.
Kennedy’s niece, Kerry Kennedy, has said she plans to remove Trump’s name once he leaves office. Former House historian Ray Smock and other experts say any name change would require approval from Congress, not just the board.
Since returning to office, Trump has taken an unusually active role at the Kennedy Center. He has replaced its leadership, reshaped the board, named himself as its head, and personally hosted this year’s Kennedy Center Honors — a break from the long-standing tradition of presidents attending quietly as guests.
These moves are part of Trump’s broader effort to push back against what he calls “woke” culture at federal cultural institutions.
The backlash has been swift. Several artists have canceled upcoming performances at the center, including Issa Rae and Peter Wolf. Lin-Manuel Miranda also pulled a planned production of Hamilton.
For many fans, the canceled Christmas Eve jazz concert is more than just one lost show. It marks the end of a cherished holiday tradition — and highlights how political battles are now reshaping one of America’s most important cultural landmarks.
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