The wave of artist boycotts at the newly renamed Trump-Kennedy Center continues as two more acts have officially canceled their upcoming performances. The jazz septet The Cookers and the dance troupe Doug Varone and Dancers both pulled out of their scheduled appearances this week.
The Cookers canceled two New Year's Eve performances, citing the history of jazz as a "relentless insistence on freedom." Drummer Billy Hart confirmed to the media that the decision to add President Donald Trump’s name to the building’s facade played a central role in their departure.
Doug Varone and Dancers followed suit by canceling two 40th-anniversary performances originally set for April. Despite facing a "financially devastating" loss of $40,000, company founder Doug Varone described the move as "morally exhilarating."
These departures come as Center President Richard Grenell continues to push back against what he calls "classic intolerance." Grenell has already threatened a $1 million lawsuit against a different musician who canceled a Christmas Eve show, arguing that the rebranding honors Trump’s efforts to save the institution.
While the board voted unanimously for the name change, critics point to federal law which traditionally prohibited the center from serving as a memorial to anyone other than John F. Kennedy. The controversy remains a flashpoint as the venue navigates its new identity under the Trump-Kennedy banner.