Kennedy Center Critcizes Musician Who Canceled

December 27, 2025 5:26 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — The president of the Kennedy Center is criticizing musician Chuck Redd for canceling a Christmas Eve performance. Redd withdrew days after the White House announced President Donald Trump’s name would be added to the venue. On Friday, the center’s president, Richard Grenell, called the decision “classic intolerance” and threatened to seek $1 million in damages. Redd, a drummer and vibraphone player, has led holiday “Jazz Jams” at the center since 2006. The renaming, approved by Trump’s board, reportedly violates a law prohibiting changes to the center’s dedication to President John F. Kennedy.