Trump-Kennedy Center cancellations are mounting after another high-profile jazz act withdrew from a New Year’s Eve performance at Washington DC’s renamed cultural landmark, deepening a political and cultural standoff.
The Cookers, a Grammy-nominated septet of veteran post-bop jazz musicians, announced they would no longer perform at the venue just two days before their scheduled appearance, offering a values-based explanation rather than logistical reasons.
In a statement shared with fans, the band said jazz was born from struggle and an insistence on freedom of thought and expression, language widely interpreted as a rejection of the center’s controversial rebranding.
The withdrawal followed the Kennedy Center board’s decision earlier this month to rename the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as the Trump-Kennedy Center, a move that sparked protests and legal challenges.
Signage bearing the new name was quickly installed outside the Washington DC complex, transforming a historically bipartisan arts institution into a flashpoint in America’s culture wars.
The Cookers’ decision marks the second jazz-related cancellation tied directly to the renaming, after drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd canceled a Christmas Eve engagement at the same venue.
Redd’s withdrawal triggered a fierce response from Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell, a Trump appointee, who threatened legal action seeking up to $1m in damages.
In a letter later reported by US media, Grenell accused Redd of staging a political protest that harmed a nonprofit arts institution already under financial pressure.
Grenell defended the name change as recognition of Donald Trump’s role in supporting the center, arguing that opposition reflects political intolerance rather than artistic principle.
The backlash has not been limited to jazz. Folk singer Kristy Lee announced she would cancel a concert scheduled for next month, citing discomfort with performing at a venue she believes has been politicized.
On social media, Lee said she could not reconcile the rebranding with her conscience, describing the move as an attempt to rewrite or repackage American history for personal ego.
A contemporary dance company, Doug Varone and Dancers, has also withdrawn from two performances planned for April, saying it could no longer ask audiences to enter the renamed institution.
The company said the decision came after reflection on what it described as the latest act of renaming the center after a sitting political figure.
Grenell responded forcefully to the growing list of cancellations, insisting the arts should be accessible to everyone regardless of political belief.
He argued that many of the withdrawing acts were booked by a previous leadership he described as ideologically driven, accusing critics of politicizing culture while claiming to defend it.
The Cookers, whose members are primarily African American, struck a more conciliatory tone toward their audience, apologizing for disappointment while emphasizing unity through music.
Saxophonist Billy Harper went further in personal remarks, saying he could not imagine performing under a name and governance structure he associates with racism and cultural erasure.
Harper referenced the long tradition of jazz musicians taking public stands against discrimination, linking today’s dispute to historical struggles within American music.
Washington DC’s deep cultural roots amplify the controversy. The city, once majority-Black and long known as “Chocolate City,” has been central to the development of jazz and Black artistic expression.
Legends such as Duke Ellington and Marvin Gaye emerged from the city’s creative scene, making the Kennedy Center’s symbolic role especially sensitive to artists.
As Trump-Kennedy Center cancellations continue, the dispute highlights a broader tension between cultural institutions and political branding in a polarized America.
With legal challenges ongoing and more performances scheduled in coming months, the future programming of the center remains uncertain amid growing resistance from parts of the arts community.
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