A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has mandated the Kennedy Center to remit $250,000 in legal fees to musician Chuck Redd. This follows a lawsuit the arts center initiated after Redd canceled a Christmas Eve concert. The decision came after the center controversially added President Donald Trump’s name to its facade.
Superior Court Judge Tanya Jones Bosier dismissed the case in June, identifying unlawful retaliation against Redd. On Monday, Bosier further evaluated records with a focus on duplicative or unnecessary hours, concluding the Kennedy Center owes Redd $252,479.70 in legal fees. The payment is due within 45 days.
The Kennedy Center intends to appeal the decision, according to a spokesperson. Meanwhile, Lisa J. Banks, Redd’s attorney, called the lawsuit an attempt by the “Trump-controlled Kennedy Center” to silence opposition to the name change. She deemed the penalty fitting, emphasizing that no citizen should tackle baseless political lawsuits.
Redd canceled his participation in the center’s annual Christmas Eve Jazz Jam on December 19, 2025, after Trump’s name appeared on the building. The name was subsequently removed in June after board members successfully challenged its legality.
The Kennedy Center accused Redd of violating a “morals clause” by publicly stating his reason for cancellation. The center described his actions as an attempt to “abuse the public forum” and claimed damages from lost public goodwill and marketing expenses.
Initially, Richard Grenell, the center’s then-president, threatened Redd with a $1 million lawsuit. The center later offered a $7,500 settlement. Redd countered, insisting the concert’s free nature and his early cancellation presented time to find another performer. Since there was no signed contract, he argued the lawsuit targeted him for speaking out on public interest issues.
The judge confirmed no economic loss for the Kennedy Center as the concert was free and canceled due to multiple artist cancellations. Redd’s outspoken stance on the name change appeared to make him the sole focus of the legal action.
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