(WASHINGTON, December 27, 2025) –
A Christmas Eve jazz performance at the Kennedy Center was canceled following controversy over the addition of Donald Trump’s name to the building, and a lawsuit has been filed challenging the renaming.
- The kennedy Center criticized a musician who canceled a scheduled performance after the venue was renamed to include Donald Trump’s name.
- A Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit challenging the decision to add Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center.
- The domain name “TrumpKennedyCenter.org” was purchased by a former “South Park” writer in anticipation of the renaming.
The Kennedy Center is facing backlash after adding former president Donald Trump’s name to the building, leading to the cancellation of a Christmas Eve jazz performance and a legal challenge. The musician, whose name has not been released, canceled their performance in protest, prompting criticism from the Kennedy Center, according to Politico.
Lawsuit Filed
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Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin has filed a lawsuit challenging the renaming of the Kennedy Center, CNN reported. The lawsuit argues that the decision to include Trump’s name violates the terms of the original land grant and federal law.
Domain Name Acquisition
In anticipation of the renaming, former “South Park” writer Jon Vitti purchased the domain name “TrumpKennedyCenter.org,” The Washington Post reported.Vitti reportedly secured the domain several years ago, foreseeing the possibility of the Kennedy Center being renamed after Trump.
Canceled Performance
The Kennedy Center’s Christmas Eve performance of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with the Vince Guaraldi Trio was canceled as a direct result of the renaming, The New York Times reported. The cancellation has sparked further debate over the appropriateness of associating the Kennedy Center with the former president.
Did you know? The Kennedy Center was established in 1971 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, and is a federally funded institution.
Pro tip: Federal law requires congressional approval for naming federal entities, but the Kennedy Center operates as a public-private partnership, creating a legal gray area.
Reader question: Can a private donation compel a federally funded institution to rename itself? Legal experts say it’s a complex question with no clear precedent.
“The Kennedy Center is a place that should celebrate the arts and bring peopel together, not be a monument to a divisive political figure,” said Representative Raskin in a statement to CNN.
Time.news based this report in part on reporting by Politico, The Washington Post
