Lonnie Bunch, Smithsonian leader, to retire amid Trump criticism

Washington — Historian Lonnie Bunch will leave his position as secretary of the Smithsonian at the end of the year, he announced Tuesday, after months of escalating criticism of the institution from the Trump administration.

“It is with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude that I announce my retirement from the Smithsonian,” Bunch said in a 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.”

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 forward.”

Bunch told The New York Times in an interview that his upcoming retirement wasn’t due to the fights with the administration, saying simply that “now’s the time.” 

“I have to be honest, it has been stressful,” he said. “And at a certain point, I’d like to wake up in the morning and not look at my cellphone.”

Bunch, 73, co-founded the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in 2016. He served as executive director of the museum until he became secretary of the Smithsonian in 2019. He was the first African American to hold the role in its 173-year history. 

Chief Justice John Roberts, who serves as chancellor of the Smithsonian and sits on its Board of Regents, said in a statement that  Bunch “has pursued excellence in the telling of our nation’s story.”

“The Regents, and the Smithsonian, have benefited greatly from his wisdom, vision and leadership,” Roberts said. “We look forward to working with him in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition for his successor.”

The Smithsonian Institution includes 21 museums, 14 education and research centers, and the National Zoo, according to its website. 

Since President Trump’s second term began in 2025, he has stepped up criticism of the institution. The administration launched an internal review of some of the Smithsonian’s best-known museums, and the president signed an executive order in March pushing for changes at the institution, including the removal of “improper ideology.”

In July, Mr. Trump ordered federal officials to install signs outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to correct what he said was “inaccurate” information presented about American history.