A growing wave of artists is withdrawing from performances at Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Centre in protest against President Donald Trump's de facto takeover and the controversial renaming of the institution to the Trump-Kennedy Centre.
Artists Take a Stand Against Renaming
Jazz supergroup The Cookers announced on Tuesday 30 December 2025 that they will not perform their scheduled two New Year's Eve concerts. The group released a powerful statement linking jazz's history of struggle to their decision. Saxophonist Billy Harper was unequivocal, stating to Jazz Stage he would "never even consider performing in a venue bearing a name... that represents overt racism and deliberate destruction of African American music and culture."
This follows the earlier cancellation by drummer Chuck Redd of his longstanding Christmas Eve jazz concert, a move the Kennedy Centre's president labelled a "political stunt" and for which he demanded $1 million in damages.
Legal and Political Controversy Intensifies
The backlash stems from two key actions by the Trump administration. In February, the president replaced the centre's bipartisan board with political allies, who promptly installed him as chairman. Then, earlier in December, this new board voted to rebrand the institution the Trump-Kennedy Centre.
This renaming is at the heart of the dispute. Legal observers and Democratic lawmakers argue the centre was established by law and can only be renamed by an act of Congress, suggesting the board's action may be illegal. Kennedy family members have also voiced strong criticism.
Institutional Response and Further Cancellations
Kennedy Centre President Richard Grenell, a Trump appointee, has fiercely defended the changes. On social media platform X, he accused the cancelling artists of being "far left political activists" booked by the previous leadership, claiming "the arts are for everyone and the left is mad about it."
Despite the threat of reprisals noted by Cookers drummer Billy Hart, the boycott is expanding. The Doug Varone and Dancers troupe cancelled a planned April 2026 performance, stating they could no longer ask audiences to enter "this once great institution." They expressed hope the centre's reputation would be restored in three years' time.
This follows a pattern of artist withdrawals since Trump returned to office, including Issa Rae, Peter Wolf, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. The president's personal interest in the centre's operations, including touting potential design changes like marble armrests, has further fuelled the controversy. Last week's Kennedy Centre honours, hosted by Trump, reportedly saw a 35% drop in viewership compared to the previous year.
