Judge Sides with Artist Against Kennedy Center’s Retaliation Over Trump Protest
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A federal judge threw out the Kennedy Center's baseless lawsuit against jazz musician Chuck Redd, who bravely stood against the glorification of Trump, and ordered the institution to pay over $250,000 in legal fees.
A Washington, D.C. judge has dismissed the Kennedy Center’s lawsuit against jazz drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd, siding with the artist who refused to perform under the shadow of Donald Trump’s name. Redd courageously canceled a Christmas Eve concert in late 2022 after the Kennedy Center, under the leadership of Richard Grenell, chose to honor the former president by adding his name to its marble facade—a move that many see as normalizing a figure whose policies and rhetoric have harmed marginalized communities. Redd stated he would feel 'profoundly uncomfortable' performing in such a space, taking a principled stand against the Center’s decision. Instead of respecting his conscience, the Center’s president threatened Redd with a $1 million lawsuit, dismissing his protest as a 'political stunt.' The Center then sued for breach of contract, but the D.C. Superior Court found the case meritless, recognizing the importance of artistic freedom and dissent, and ordered the Kennedy Center to pay Redd more than $250,000 in legal fees.