A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Kennedy Center against jazz drummer and vibes player Chuck Redd, who withdrew from a Christmas Eve performance after the venue announced plans to add Donald Trump's name to the facility.
Redd had been scheduled to perform at the Kennedy Center's annual free "Christmas Eve Jazz Jam" but canceled after the White House announced the naming change. The Kennedy Center subsequently sued the musician, seeking $1 million in damages for the breach of contract.
In her ruling, DC Superior Court Judge Tanya Jones Bosier found that Kennedy Center officials had failed to establish a legally binding agreement with Redd. "I could not find a valid breach-of-contract claim here," Bosier said. "There's no dispute that he did not sign the 2025 agreement."
The judge granted Redd's motion to dismiss under the District of Columbia's anti-Slapp law, which prevents lawsuits intended to silence opposing views on matters of public interest. This legal protection is specifically designed to protect free speech rights.
Richard Grenell, then the Kennedy Center's president, had threatened legal action shortly after Redd canceled. Grenell stated the center would pursue damages for what he called "this political stunt," accusing Redd of intolerance. The center filed suit in March and initially offered to settle if Redd paid $7,500, performed at this year's concert, and refrained from making "political commentary" about his withdrawal.
Lisa J Banks, one of Redd's lawyers, said in a statement that the lawsuit constituted political retaliation. "The Center sued Mr Redd because he publicly and rightly objected to adding Donald Trump's name to the Kennedy Center, a living memorial to former President John F Kennedy," Banks said. "The lawsuit against Mr Redd was political retribution, pure and simple, by the Trump Kennedy Center, and the Court correctly saw it as such in dismissing the case with prejudice."
Redd told the Associated Press he was "very pleased" by the ruling.
The dismissal comes after another judge previously ordered the removal of Trump's name from the Kennedy Center's facade and website. That ruling determined that the performing arts venue, which Congress designated as a living memorial to former President John F Kennedy, cannot be renamed without an act of Congress.
The case drew significant attention from the arts community as cultural institutions navigate political controversies and performers grapple with questions about artistic freedom and contractual obligations. The dismissal allows Redd to proceed without facing financial penalties or other legal consequences related to his decision to withdraw from the performance. The Kennedy Center has not indicated whether it plans to appeal the ruling.