Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch to Step Down After Turbulent Year

Lonnie Bunch, who has led the Smithsonian Institution since 2019, will step down from his role as Secretary at the end of the year. Bunch announced his departure in a statement on Tuesday, saying he leaves with "very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude."

The announcement comes after months of friction between the museum complex and the Trump administration. In recent weeks, a White House report accused the leadership of the Smithsonian, particularly at the National Museum of American History, of being "radical activists" who cannot be trusted to tell the nation's story fairly. The report suggested the administration was preparing to install its own leadership.

Anthea M. Hartig, the first woman to direct the National Museum of American History, had faced increasing scrutiny from Republicans over the summer following the release of that report, which argued the museum's leadership does not present history in a way that is "inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic."

Unlike other cultural institutions in Washington, such as the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian operates independently of the executive branch. Museum directors report to Bunch, who is overseen by a Board of Regents that includes Vice President JD Vance, Chief Justice John Roberts, and several lawmakers. This structure had limited the president's ability to directly fire leaders.

Chief Justice Roberts, who serves as the Smithsonian's chancellor, praised Bunch in a statement, saying he had "pursued excellence in the telling of our nation's story."

Bunch, a historian and curator by training, was the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture before taking the helm of the entire institution. His tenure as Secretary was marked by efforts to present a comprehensive view of American history, an approach that has increasingly drawn criticism from the current administration.