Lonnie Bunch, the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, announced on Tuesday that he will retire from his post at the end of the year. Bunch, who has dedicated 38 years of his career to the Smithsonian, stated that he is leaving with a mix of pride, gratitude, and confidence in the institution’s future.
“It is with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude that I announce my retirement from the Smithsonian,” Bunch said in a formal statement. “I have spent nearly half of my life working at and being part of the Smithsonian family, and what a privilege it has been.”
The 73-year-old historian, who became the first African American to lead the institution in its 173-year history when he took the role in 2019, noted that the decision was personal. In an interview with The New York Times, he clarified that his departure was not a direct result of ongoing conflicts with the Trump administration, stating simply that “now’s the time.” However, he acknowledged the professional strain, admitting, “I have to be honest, it has been stressful. And at a certain point, I’d like to wake up in the morning and not look at my cellphone.”
Chief Justice John Roberts, serving as the Smithsonian’s chancellor and a member of the Board of Regents, praised Bunch’s tenure. “The Regents, and the Smithsonian, have benefited greatly from his wisdom, vision and leadership,” Roberts said. “He has pursued excellence in the telling of our nation’s story. We look forward to working with him in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition for his successor.”
Bunch’s departure follows a period of heightened scrutiny from the Trump administration. Since the president’s second term began in 2025, the White House has intensified its criticism of the institution. In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order demanding changes to address what he characterized as “improper ideology” within the Smithsonian’s museums.
The administration’s internal review has targeted eight specific museums, including the Air and Space Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of American History, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The latter was specifically cited in the executive order for allegedly promoting “divisive, race-centered ideology.” Federal reviewers have been tasked with examining exhibit content, future exhibition plans, and internal curatorial processes.
Tensions escalated further in July when the president ordered federal officials to install signage outside the National Museum of American History to address what he labeled “inaccurate” historical presentations. Last month, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum sent a letter to the Smithsonian leadership, accusing them of allowing a “radical institutional ideology to permeate” the museum. Burgum argued that this approach serves to “weaken our shared American identity, erase our heritage and condition the public to accept these attempts to weaponize our national institutions.”
The Smithsonian complex currently encompasses 21 museums, 20 libraries, various research centers, and the National Zoo. Bunch’s long history with the organization began in 1978 at the National Air and Space Museum. After holding several leadership roles at the National Museum of American History, he left in 2000, only to return five years later to spearhead the development of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in 2016.
Reflecting on the institution’s role in a 2019 interview, Bunch emphasized the unifying power of the Smithsonian. “Culture is something that sometimes is seen as dividing people, but in my mind, culture holds us together — the common cultures we have, the opportunity to find common ground,” he said, describing the institution as “part of the glue that holds the country together.” The report also notes that bunch, who has worked for the Smithsonian for 38 years, said he leaves the position “with pride and sadness, gratitude and joy, and with enormous confidence in the people who will carry this remarkable institution forwar. The report also notes that canada’s retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion in U.S. The report also notes that guyana latest “third country” to accept migrants deported from U.S. The report also notes that envoy Jared Kushner attributes the lack of progress on Gaza to upcoming Israeli elections: “Makes them a little irrational. The report also notes that what Happens After Trump?: Why Tim Miller Thinks Politics Can’t Go Back.
