New signage for The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts was revealed at the Kennedy Center on December 19, 2025, in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Multiple artists have canceled their forthcoming performances at the recently renamed Trump-Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., openly expressing their disapproval of President Donald Trump’s name being included on the building’s signage last week.
Jazz musician Chuck Redd has called off his Christmas Eve event, while the jazz ensemble The Cookers shared on social media that they would not be performing on New Year’s Eve at the cultural venue.
On Monday evening, Doug Varone and Dancers, a dance company from New York, declared in an Instagram post that they were canceling their planned performances in April.
Alongside an image of the official portrait of the late President John F. Kennedy, Doug Varone and Dancers stated that it was an “honor” to be invited to perform, but the group “strongly disagreed with the Trump Administration’s takeover of the Kennedy Center.”
"… With Donald J. Trump’s latest act of renaming the Center after himself, we can no longer allow ourselves, nor ask our audiences, to enter this once-great institution," the statement partially read.
"The Kennedy Center was named to honor our 35th President, who passionately believed that the arts were the heart of our nation and a crucial component of international diplomacy. We hope that in three years’ time, the Center and its reputation will return to that esteemed status," the statement further elaborated.
Workers observe The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts after they updated the signage following the renaming in honor of President Donald Trump, December 19, 2025, in Washington. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Following the renaming last week, folk singer Kristy Lee announced via Instagram that she is canceling a free performance slated for January 14 at the center.
"I won’t sugarcoat it; canceling shows is painful. This is how I pay my bills. But compromising my integrity would cost me more than any paycheck," Lee expressed in her post.
Richard Grenell, the Trump-appointed president of the Trump-Kennedy Center, condemned the recent cancellations in a Monday evening post on X, portraying the musicians as "far left political activists."
"The artists who are canceling their shows were booked by the prior far left administration," Grenell stated.
"Their actions demonstrate that the former team prioritized booking far left political activists over artists willing to perform for everyone, irrespective of their political views. Boycotting the Arts to express support for the Arts is a manifestation of derangement syndrome. The arts are for all, and the left is upset about it," he added.
Grenell also indicated in a letter directed to Redd, who canceled his Christmas Eve performance, that the center intends to file a $1 million lawsuit against the jazz musician, labeling the action a "political stunt."
Musician Chuck Redd. Robert Severi
It remains uncertain whether Redd has secured legal representation. ABC News has reached out to him for a statement.
The cancellations followed the Trump administration’s announcement on December 18 that the board of the Kennedy Center, now chaired by Trump and filled with his appointees,
Sourse: abcnews.go.com