More artists are withdrawing from performances at the Kennedy Center following President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to add his name to the historic cultural venue. Jazz supergroup The Cookers has canceled their planned New Year’s Eve concert, becoming the latest in a growing wave of artists distancing themselves from the institution.

The recent cancellations come after Trump ousted the Kennedy Center’s board and appointed himself chairman in February, a move that sparked immediate backlash in the artistic community. Earlier this year, performer Issa Rae and the producers of “Hamilton” canceled scheduled engagements, while musicians Ben Folds and Renee Fleming resigned from their advisory roles at the center.

The Cookers, who have performed together for nearly two decades, announced their withdrawal from “A Jazz New Year’s Eve” on their website. While their statement didn’t explicitly mention Trump or the renaming, they acknowledged the sudden nature of their decision and expressed regret to fans who had planned to attend.

“When we return to performing, we want to ensure that the room is able to celebrate the full presence of the music and everyone in it,” the group stated, emphasizing their commitment “to playing music that reaches across divisions rather than deepening them.”

Though the group’s official statement avoided direct reference to the Kennedy Center situation, saxophonist Billy Harper made his position clear in comments posted on the Jazz Stage Facebook page last Saturday. Harper stated he “would never even consider performing in a venue bearing a name that represents overt racism and deliberate destruction of African American music and culture.” Harper added that both the board and “the name displayed on the building itself represents a mentality and practices I always stood against.”

According to White House sources, Trump’s handpicked board approved the renaming of the facility. This action has raised significant legal questions, as the 1964 law establishing the Kennedy Center explicitly prohibits the board of trustees from making the center a memorial to anyone other than President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. Legal experts note that congressional approval would be required for any name change.

Richard Grenell, a Trump ally who was appointed to lead the Kennedy Center after the previous leadership was forced out, criticized the withdrawing artists on social media platform X. “The artists who are now canceling shows were booked by the previous far left leadership,” Grenell claimed, suggesting the bookings were politically motivated under the Biden administration.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Grenell further argued that “last minute cancellations prove that they were always unwilling to perform for everyone — even those they disagree with politically.” He claimed the Kennedy Center has been “flooded with inquiries from real artists willing to perform for everyone and who reject political statements in their artistry.”

The Kennedy Center has not yet indicated whether it will pursue legal action against The Cookers, as Grenell threatened to do after musician Chuck Redd canceled a Christmas Eve performance. Following Redd’s withdrawal, which directly cited the Kennedy Center renaming, Grenell stated he would seek $1 million in damages for what he termed a “political stunt.”

Not all scheduled performers are canceling their appearances. Bluegrass banjoist Randy Barrett, who is set to perform at the center next month, told the AP that while he respects those who have withdrawn, he believes that “our tribalized country needs more music and art, not less. It’s one of the few things that can bring us together.”

The growing conflict over the Kennedy Center highlights the increasing intersection of politics and culture in America’s polarized landscape. As a venue established by Congress as a living memorial to President Kennedy, the center has long represented bipartisan celebration of the arts. The current controversy raises questions about the independence of cultural institutions and the role of politics in artistic expression.