Donald Trump got an unwelcome holiday surprise this year: a longstanding Christmas concert at the Kennedy Center was canceled after the venue began displaying Trump’s name as part of an apparent rebranding effort tied to his push to associate himself with the institution honoring President John F. Kennedy.
Just days before the annual Christmas Eve Jazz Jam—an event that has been held at the Washington, D.C., performing arts center for roughly two decades—musician and host Chuck Redd pulled the plug. Redd, a drummer and vibraphonist, told the Associated Press he made the decision after noticing the naming change reflected online and then on the building itself.
“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 said of canceling the performance, which has followed a traditional format at the venue since 2006.
The Kennedy Center’s website—now referring to the venue as the “Trump Kennedy Center”—lists the free Christmas Eve Jazz Jam as canceled for 2025. The concert had been scheduled to begin Wednesday at 12 p.m. local time and was promoted as “an evening of music that’ll fill you with holiday cheer.”
In a separate email to CNN, Redd reaffirmed the decision, saying he canceled this year’s show after 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 added. “I was saddened to see this name change.”
As the Associated Press reported last week, the name Donald J. Trump was added above John F. Kennedy’s name on the exterior of the Kennedy Center—an alteration that quickly drew backlash.
One of the most vocal critics has been Democratic Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, who introduced a lawsuit against the board of trustees over the change. Beatty argues the board is barred by law from transforming the center into a memorial for anyone other than Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963.
Kennedy’s niece, Kerry Kennedy, has also said she intends to work to remove Trump’s name from the building once he leaves office.
Entertainment Weekly has reached out to representatives for Trump at the White House for comment.
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.”
The renaming effort is only the latest flashpoint involving the Kennedy Center this year. Multiple entertainers—including Issa Rae—have criticized the direction of the institution or withdrawn from scheduled appearances after Trump installed himself as chairman of the board of trustees earlier in 2025.
“Hey D.C. Fam,” the Insecure producer-star wrote 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.”
