Smithsonian Secretary Announces Retirement as Trump's American History Reset Gains Steam

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III announced Tuesday that he will retire at the end of the year, a decision that lands as the Trump administration pushes to strip political ideology from the way America's museums tell the nation's history.

Bunch, who has spent 38 years at the Smithsonian and led it since 2019, said his exit was not driven by the administration's pressure campaign, though he conceded the job has taken a toll. His departure opens the door to a leadership change at a pivotal moment for the institution.

A Historic Tenure Comes to a Close

Bunch, 73, was the first African American to serve as Smithsonian secretary in the institution's 173-year history. Before taking the top job in 2019, he founded the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened on the National Mall in 2016 after decades of advocacy and planning.

"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."

He said he leaves "with pride and sadness, gratitude and joy, and with enormous confidence in the people who will carry this remarkable institution forward." Pressed on whether the fights with the administration played a role, he told the New York Times the timing simply felt right -- while acknowledging the strain.

"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."

The White House Pressure Campaign

Bunch's final months in office have unfolded against the backdrop of the most aggressive White House push against the Smithsonian in its history. In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," directing the institution to root out what the order called "improper ideology" from exhibits and programming. The administration also launched an internal review of some of the Smithsonian's best-known museums.

This summer, Trump ordered federal officials to install signs outside the National Museum of American History correcting what the administration described as inaccurate presentations of American history. The moves followed years of criticism that the institution's exhibits leaned left on race, gender, and national identity.

The pressure intensified last week when Interior Secretary Doug Burgum sent a letter to Smithsonian leadership accusing museum officials of allowing "a radical institutional ideology to permeate" the American history museum. "The ultimate effect of this radical ideology is to weaken our shared American identity, erase our heritage and condition the public to accept these attempts to weaponize our national institutions and traditions in support of a radical political agenda," Burgum wrote.

Bunch, who told the Washington Post the administration's pressure played no role in his decision, has said he intends to defend the institution's independence through his remaining months in office.

What Comes Next for the Smithsonian

The Smithsonian's Board of Regents -- overseen by Chief Justice John Roberts in his role as chancellor -- will lead the search for the institution's 15th secretary. Roberts praised Bunch's record, saying he "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 is a sprawling federal network of 21 museums, 14 education and research centers, and the National Zoo, drawing tens of millions of visitors each year. Whoever replaces Bunch inherits both the operational challenge of running it and the unresolved political question of how American history gets presented to the public.

The Regents' choice of a successor will be the clearest signal yet of whether the institution moves toward the administration's vision of a patriotic, traditional telling of American history or digs in against it. With Bunch set to leave at year's end, that decision is now only months away.