skip to contentAdvertisementThe Kennedy Center was created by Congress in 1964 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated the previous year.By: Express Web Desk December 27, 2025 05:19 AM IST First published on: Dec 27, 2025 at 05:19 AM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookDemonstrators protest at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts a day after a Trump-appointed board voted to add President Donald Trump's name to the Kennedy Center, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo)The head of the Kennedy Center has sharply criticised a musician who pulled out of a Christmas Eve performance after the venue was renamed to include the name of US President Donald Trump, the Associated Press (AP) reported.Richard Grenell, the centre’s president, wrote to jazz musician Chuck Redd, accusing him of walking away “at the last moment” because of the renaming which the White House said honours what it called Trump’s efforts to “save this national treasure,” according to AP.New signage, The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, is unveiled to show Trump’s name added on the Kennedy Center, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo)In the letter, shared with AP, Grenell said the cancellation was “classic intolerance and very costly to a non-profit arts institution,” and added that he planned to seek $1 million in damages over what he described as a “political stunt.”Redd, a drummer and vibraphonist who has led the Kennedy Center’s long-running holiday “Jazz Jams” since 2006, told AP in an email that he withdrew after seeing the new name appear online and then on the building itself. “When I saw the name change … I chose to cancel our concert,” he said.The Kennedy Center was created by Congress in 1964 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated the previous year. Scholars and historians quoted by AP said the renaming may breach the law, which bars the board from turning the venue into a memorial to anyone else or adding another person’s name to its exterior.Most ReadStory continues below this adThe White House said Trump’s hand-picked board approved the change. Kennedy family member Kerry Kennedy has vowed to remove Trump’s name once he leaves office, AP reported, while former House historian Ray Smock said any such change would require an act of Congress.AP said Redd did not immediately respond to further requests for comment.AdvertisementAdvertisementLoading Taboola...