“I’ve been performing at the Kennedy Center since the beginning of my career,” musician Chuck Redd said.

Christmas concert canceled over outrage at Donald Trump’s Kennedy Center changes

"I’ve been performing at the Kennedy Center since the beginning of my career," musician Chuck Redd said.

Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at *. *Since 2016, his work at EW includes *RuPaul's Drag Race* video interviews, Oscars predictions, and more.

EW's editorial guidelines

December 25, 2025 2:28 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Donald Trump on Christmas Eve 2025. Credit:

Tasos Katopodis/Getty

- Donald Trump's name change at the Kennedy Center prompted outrage and a concert cancellation.

- The Kennedy Center's annual Christmas concert was abruptly nixed by musician Chuck Redd.

- "I was saddened to see this name change," Redd said.**

Donald Trump has received a lump of coal in the form of a canceled Christmas concert at the Kennedy Center, amid the president's controversial attempt to add his name to the iconic cultural institution memorializing President John F. Kennedy.

Just before an annual Christmas jazz concert was set to take place at the Washington, D.C. venue (as it has for the last two decades), musician and the event's host, Chuck Redd, called off the performance amid outrage over the move to rebrand the center to include Trump.

“When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert,” the drummer and vibraphonist behind the Christmas Eve Jazz Jam told the Associated Press of canceling the performance, which follows a traditional presentation that has played at the Kennedy Center since 2006.

Donald Trump in December 2025.

Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty

The Kennedy Center's website — which now calls the venue the "Trump Kennedy Center" — lists the free Christmas Eve Jazz Jam as canceled for 2025, with the show time previously set to start Wednesday at 12 p.m. local time for "an evening of music that’ll fill you with holiday cheer."

In a separate email to CNN, Redd doubled down on the decision, confirming to the network that he shelved this year's edition when he "saw the name change happening last Friday" at the Kennedy Center.

“I’ve been performing at the Kennedy Center since the beginning of my career," Redd continued. "I was saddened to see this name change."

Trump says Stephen Colbert should be 'put to sleep' in rant targeting late-night hosts: 'A dead man walking!'

'60 Minutes' correspondent slams CBS for yanking Trump deportations segment, calls decision 'political'

As the Associated Press reported last week (with imagery), the name Donald J. Trump was added above John F. Kennedy's name on the exterior of the Kennedy Center, prompting widespread backlash.

Among those who took issue with the move was Democratic Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, who introduced a lawsuit against the board of trustees over the name change, as law prohibits the board from turning the center into a memorial for anyone other than Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963.

Kennedy's niece, Kerry Kennedy, has even said that she will work to remove Trump’s name from the building after he leaves office.

** has reached out to representatives for Trump at the White House for comment.

Donald Trump's name added to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.

Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty

When reached by EW, the Kennedy Center's public relations email address returned an automated message stating, "Thank you for your message. Due to the holidays, response times may be delayed. We appreciate your patience and will respond as soon as possible."

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.*****

The renaming initiative is far from the only Kennedy Center-related controversy of the year, as many entertainers — including Issa Rae — either spoke out against or backed out of planned appearances at the location amid Trump installing himself as the chairman of the board of trustees earlier in 2025.

"Hey D.C. Fam," the *Insecure* producer-star shared in February on her Instagram Stories. "Thank you so much for selling out the Kennedy Center for *An Evening with [Me]*. Unfortunately, due to what I believe to be an infringement on the values of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds through all mediums, I've decided to cancel my appearance at this venue. All tickets will be refunded. Thank you so much for understanding and I hope to see you soon. Love, Issa."

- Celebrities & Creators

- Entertainment Industry Roles

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Politicians”