Kennedy Center owes $250K to musician it failed to sue

A judge previously found that Chuck Redd, who pulled out of a Christmas concert at the venue, could not be sued for breach of contract because he did not have a contract.

By Drew Gillis  |  August 12, 2026 | 9:40am
Aux News Kennedy Center
Kennedy Center owes $250K to musician it failed to sue

At this point, the Kennedy Center has transformed from a cultural venue to a manufacturer of rakes upon which it can immediately step. Back in December, after the name “Donald Trump” was affixed to the front of the Kennedy Center, musician Chuck Redd, who ran an annual Christmas Jazz Jam show, pulled out of his scheduled performance. Redd was blunt that he pulled out because of the name change, and the administration swiftly filed a lawsuit against him, seeking $1 million in damages “for this political stunt.” 

And, wouldn’t you know it, the Center now actually owes Redd money. According to Variety, a Washington, D.C. judge ruled that Redd is owed $252,000 in legal fees for the failed lawsuit. Said Lisa J. Banks, one of Redd’s attorneys, “The court rightly dismissed that breach of contract lawsuit, finding there was no contract and no damages, and was brought against Mr. Redd based on his protected opposition.  Now the court has ordered the Kennedy Center to pay Mr. Redd’s legal fees, which is appropriate as no citizen should have to spend time and money fending off baseless and politically motivated lawsuits filed by the Trump Administration.” 

Indeed, back in June, the court ruled that Redd could not be sued for breach of contract because there was no signed contract. While this should be obvious, filing baseless lawsuits is kind of Trump’s thing—as is, allegedly, refusing to pay people he owes money to. Hopefully Redd is able to get what he’s owed as swiftly as he was able to be sued.

 
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