Chicago – December 24, 2025
A cherished Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has been canceled following the addition of President Donald Trump’s name to the venue.
Musician Chuck Redd, the event’s host and a drummer-vibraphonist who has led the “Christmas Eve Jazz Jam” since 2006, announced the decision after discovering the name change last Friday. The building’s facade now reads “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts,” approved by Trump’s handpicked board. Redd, who collaborated with jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie, stated he pulled the plug upon seeing the update on the center’s website and exterior.
The 20-year holiday tradition, typically offered in-person and livestreamed, is listed as canceled on the center’s site. Critics, including Kennedy family members like niece Kerry Kennedy and historians, argue the rename violates federal law establishing it as a tribute to JFK, requiring congressional approval. The Kennedy Center has not commented.
