Judge Orders Kennedy Center to Cover Legal Costs of Musician Chuck Redd

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has mandated that the Kennedy Center pay $250,000 in legal fees to musician Chuck Redd. The center had filed a lawsuit against Redd for canceling a Christmas Eve concert, following the addition of President Donald Trump’s name to the building’s facade.

Superior Court Judge Tanya Jones Bosier dismissed the suit against Redd in June. She concluded that the situation involved unlawful retaliation against the musician.

On Monday, Judge Bosier stated that she reviewed records to ensure that duplicative, excessive, or unnecessary hours were excluded. The Kennedy Center now owes Redd $252,479.70 in legal fees, to be settled within 45 days.

A Kennedy Center representative announced their intention to appeal the ruling. Meanwhile, Redd’s attorney, Lisa J. Banks, criticized the lawsuit as a baseless, politically motivated attempt to stifle opposition to what she termed an unlawful name change.

Redd had been slated to lead the annual Christmas Eve Jazz Jam at the center on December 24, 2025. However, he withdrew on December 19 after Trump’s name was added to the facade. The president’s name was subsequently removed in June after a board member successfully argued the move was illegal.

The Kennedy Center accused Redd of breaching its ‘morals clause’ by publicizing the reason for his cancellation. They argued Redd abused the platform to make a political statement, depriving the public of the promised concert. The center claimed damages from lost public goodwill, wasted marketing efforts, and costs tied to preparing for the unheld concert.

Then-president Richard Grenell had initially threatened Redd with a $1 million lawsuit. Later, the center suggested settling with the musician for $7,500.

Redd refuted the center’s claims, pointing out that the concert was free and he gave enough notice for a replacement act to be secured. He argued that he had no formal contract to perform and felt targeted for speaking on a public interest issue.

Judge Bosier agreed with Redd, emphasizing that he was only one of several artists scheduled to perform and the entire concert was eventually canceled. She noted that Redd was the sole artist who faced legal action after speaking out, while no ticket sales were lost as the event was free, and costs were not incurred for staff or other performers.