Smithsonian chief Lonnie Bunch to step down after White House clash

Lonnie Bunch, who has led the Smithsonian Institution since 2019, announced on Tuesday that he will step down at the end of the year. In a statement, he said he was leaving "with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude."

The departure follows a turbulent period in which the Trump administration sought to reshape how American history is presented at the Smithsonian and other cultural bodies. Two months ago, a White House report singled out leaders of the institution, particularly those at the National Museum of American History, describing them as "radical activists" who could not be trusted.

That report was widely seen as a signal that the administration might move to install its own leadership at the world's largest museum and research complex. Bunch, the first African American to serve as Smithsonian Secretary, did not cite the political pressure in his announcement, but his exit comes amid growing friction between the institution and the executive branch.

His tenure saw the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which he founded before becoming Secretary. The Smithsonian has not yet named a successor.