Overview
- Jazz ensemble The Cookers canceled two New Year’s Eve performances, with drummer Billy Hart saying the venue’s name change “evidently” factored into the decision.
- Doug Varone and Dancers withdrew April performances, citing opposition to the takeover and the decision to append President Trump’s name to the institution.
- Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell denounced the pullouts as political, noting the artists were booked by prior leadership and threatening a $1 million claim over Chuck Redd’s Christmas Eve cancellation.
- The center’s board voted unanimously on Dec. 18 to include Trump’s name; signage and the website were updated the next day, even as legal scholars say Congress must approve any change.
- Rep. Joyce Beatty filed a federal suit challenging the renaming, while additional acts like folk singer Kristy Lee have canceled, with media reports also noting programming shifts and weaker ticket sales under new management.