Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III announced his retirement Tuesday, ending a seven‑year tenure marked by fierce clashes with the Trump administration over the presentation of American history. The 73‑year‑old leader leaves with mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude.
Bunch’s Tenure and Controversy
Bunch, 73, announced his retirement on Tuesday with mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude. He becomes the first African American to serve as Smithsonian secretary, a role he has held since 2019.
Bunch denied that the Trump administration directly caused his departure. In a New York Times interview he said the political fight had been stressful, but stressed the decision was his own. He described feeling “very mixed emotions” and said he now wants to wake up without checking his phone each morning.
The tension escalated throughout 2025, culminating in a series of confrontations between the Smithsonian and the Trump administration. These clashes centered on how history should be presented and whether the institution promoted ideological narratives.
Trump Administration Actions
In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” urging officials to eliminate what he called improper ideology from the Smithsonian and other federally affiliated cultural sites. The order accused the Smithsonian of presenting American and Western values as inherently harmful and called for Vice President JD Vance, a board member, to remove the ideology.
The White House then conducted a broad review of Smithsonian museums. In July it released a report titled “Saving America’s Story,” which accused the National Museum of American History leadership of letting ideology shape its historical narrative.
Trump subsequently ordered federal officials to install signage outside the National Museum of American History warning of inaccurate historical information. The directive targeted what the administration labeled as misleading content about the nation’s past.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum accused museum officials of fostering a “radical institutional ideology” that weakened Americans’ shared national identity. He argued the museum’s approach threatened the cohesion of the nation’s collective story.
Smithsonian Response
The Smithsonian rejected the administration’s characterization, noting its structural independence from the executive branch. The secretary is chosen by the Smithsonian Board of Regents, which includes Vance, members of Congress, citizen regents, and Chief Justice John Roberts as chancellor.
Chief Justice John Roberts praised Bunch, saying he pursued excellence in telling the nation’s story and that the Regents benefited from his wisdom, vision and leadership. Roberts highlighted Bunch’s long service to the institution.
Bunch spent nearly 38 years at the Smithsonian, joining in 1978, leaving in 2000, returning in 2005 to lead the creation of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in 2016. He became secretary in 2019 after a distinguished curatorial and leadership career.
‘I have spent nearly half my life working at and being part of the Smithsonian family,’ Bunch said. ‘What a privilege.’
Bunch will remain in office through the end of the year while the Board of Regents selects his successor. The board aims to appoint a new secretary before the year concludes.
