A longstanding Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., has been cancelled following the addition of President Donald Trump’s name to the facility, sparking controversy over its legal status as a memorial to John F. Kennedy.
Musician Chuck Redd, host of the annual Kennedy Center Jazz Jam for nearly two decades, cancelled the Christmas Eve performance on December 24, 2025, after the White House announced the renaming of the venue to the Trump-Kennedy Center, a move approved by the president’s handpicked board but opposed by Democratic lawmakers and scholars who argue it violates federal law establishing the centre as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
Decision to Cancel Long-Running Holiday Tradition
The Kennedy Center Jazz Jam, a holiday tradition dating back more than 20 years, was set for Christmas Eve at the Washington, D.C., performing arts centre but has now been pulled from the schedule. According to CBS News reporting on December 24, 2025, the show’s host, drummer and vibraphone player Chuck Redd, who has led the event since 2006 following bassist William “Keter” Betts, informed the Associated Press via email that he made the call after noticing the name change on the Kennedy Center website and subsequently on the building’s facade. “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, as cited in the CBS News article.
As reported by CBS News, Redd has an illustrious career, having toured with jazz legends including Dizzy Gillespie and Ray Brown. The Kennedy Center’s website now lists the show as cancelled, though the centre did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Associated Press.
Background on Kennedy Center Naming and Trump’s Involvement
Congress established the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1963 following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, designating it explicitly as a living memorial to the late Democratic leader and prohibiting the board of trustees from adding any additional memorials to the site, according to CBS News coverage. The White House announced last week that President Trump’s handpicked board had approved renaming the institution the Trump-Kennedy Center, with the updated name appearing on the building, CBS News reported.
Pushback from Lawmakers and Legal Concerns
Democratic lawmakers and some scholars have criticised the renaming, asserting it contravenes the congressional law protecting the centre’s dedication to Kennedy, as detailed in CBS News reporting. President Trump, a Republican, has taken a more active role in the centre’s operations since returning to office, including forcing out leadership, overhauling the board to place himself at its head, and personally hosting this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, departing from the tradition of presidents acting primarily as spectators, CBS News noted.
Broader Artist Reactions and Performance Withdrawals
The cancellation aligns with a pattern of artists distancing themselves from the Kennedy Center amid the leadership changes and renaming. CBS News reported that numerous performers have called off appearances since Trump’s return, including Issa Rae and Peter Wolf, while Lin-Manuel Miranda cancelled a planned production of “Hamilton.” These developments reflect ongoing tensions at the venue, which Trump largely ignored during his first term before his recent interventions.
The cancellation of the Christmas Eve Jazz Jam underscores the immediate fallout from the Kennedy Center’s renaming, with Chuck Redd’s decision highlighting artist sensitivities to the changes, as verified by CBS News and Associated Press reporting, while the centre’s official listing confirms the event’s removal from the schedule.
