Following the recent inclusion of U.S. President Donald Trump’s name on the Kennedy Center, more artists are canceling their performances at the venue. The jazz supergroup, the Cookers, has withdrawn from their scheduled New Year’s Eve concert, joining a growing list of artists who have backed out since Trump assumed control of the institution earlier this year.
The decision to add Trump’s name to the building, now known as the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, was made by the new board in a recent vote. This move has sparked controversy and led to significant pushback from various performers.
The Cookers, a renowned jazz ensemble with nearly two decades of experience, announced their decision to pull out of the upcoming event on their website. While not directly addressing the renaming or the Trump administration, the group expressed their commitment to creating a space that celebrates music inclusively and bridges divides.
However, saxophone player Billy Harper, a member of the group, openly criticized the renaming, stating that he could not support performing at a venue associated with what he perceived as racist and culturally destructive practices.
In response to the growing number of cancellations, Richard Grenell, a Trump appointee overseeing the Kennedy Center, defended the renaming and criticized the artists who chose to withdraw from their performances. Grenell claimed that the center had received interest from other artists who were willing to perform without making political statements.
The controversy surrounding the Kennedy Center’s renaming has also led to legal threats, with Grenell indicating a potential pursuit of damages against artists who have canceled their shows due to the name change. The broader debate over the center’s name change has raised questions about the institution’s historical significance and the process of renaming such a prominent cultural landmark.
