Two more bands have cancelled their forthcoming performances at the Kennedy Center after Donald Trump‘s name was added to the building.
Earlier this month (December 19), the board that presides over the Washington D.C. arts centre, which is closely allied with Trump, voted to rename the building as the Trump-Kennedy Center, prompting jazz musician Chuck Redd to cancel an annual Christmas Eve show.
Redd has overseen the Jazz Jams at the venue during the holiday season since 2006, but after learning of the renaming decision, he decided to call off the show this time around.
Despite the venue’s president Richard Grenell strongly criticising Redd’s decision and demanding $1million (£740,000) in damages for what he has described as a “political stunt”, veteran jazz septet The Cookers have now also cancelled two New Year’s Eve performances tomorrow (December 31) and New York dance troupe Doug Varone and Dancers have also axed two of their performances in April.
The former announced their cancellation in a statement on their official website, writing: “Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice.”
The group’s drummer, Billy Hart, also told The New York Times that Trump’s name change “evidently” influenced The Cookers’ decision to bow out.
Varone, meanwhile, also told the publication that they were losing $40,000 (£29,620) by dropping out, but wrote of the decision in an email that it “is financially devastating but morally exhilarating.”
The artists who are now canceling shows were booked by the previous far left leadership.
Their actions prove that the previous team was more concerned about booking far left political activists rather than artists willing to perform for everyone regardless of their political…— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) December 30, 2025
In response to the latest cancellations, Grenell said: “The artists who are now cancelling shows were booked by the previous far left leadership.
“Their actions prove that the previous team was more concerned about booking far left political activists rather than artists willing to perform for everyone regardless of their political beliefs. Boycotting the Arts to show you support the Arts is a form of derangement syndrome.”
Democrats have already filed a lawsuit to remove Trump’s name from the building, with Representative Joyce Beatty, who is designated a member of the board by law, describing the change as unlawful, as any renaming of the centre would require an act of Congress.
The venue was originally named after John F. Kennedy in 1964 as a “living memorial” to the assassinated former president, and his niece Kerry Kennedy has also vowed to remove the Trump name once he leaves office.
Meanwhile, South Park writer Toby Morton recently revealed that he bought the Trump-Kennedy Center domain names months ago in order to troll the US President.
