Lonnie Bunch, the first African American to lead the Smithsonian Institution, will retire as its secretary at the end of 2026 after nearly 38 years with the organisation.
The 73-year-old historian announced his decision on Tuesday, as the Smithsonian faces mounting pressure from Donald Trump’s administration over how its museums present American history.
Bunch said his departure was not prompted by the dispute with the White House. In an interview, he said he had been considering retirement for about a year and had concluded that “now’s the time”.
“It is with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude that I announce my retirement from the Smithsonian,” he 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 added that he was leaving “with pride and sadness, gratitude and joy” and with confidence in those who would lead the institution in the future.
Bunch told the New York Times that the role had become stressful. “At a certain point, I’d like to wake up in the morning and not look at my cellphone,” he said.
He has led the Smithsonian since 2019, overseeing its network of 21 museums, libraries, research centres and the National Zoo. The Board of Regents is expected to appoint an interim secretary and begin a search for his successor.
Before becoming secretary, Bunch founded the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in Washington in 2016 after years of planning. He remained its executive director until his appointment as head of the Smithsonian.
Chief Justice John Roberts, who serves as chancellor of the Smithsonian and chairs its Board of Regents, praised Bunch for pursuing “excellence in the telling of our nation’s story”. He said the regents had benefited from Bunch’s “wisdom, vision and leadership” and would work with him to ensure a smooth transition.
Bunch’s announcement comes during an increasingly tense confrontation between the Smithsonian and the Trump administration. In March 2025, Mr Trump signed an executive order calling for the removal of what it described as “improper ideology” from the institution and ordered a review of its museums and public material.
The White House later issued a 162-page report accusing the National Museum of American History of “extreme political activism” and claiming that it presented the American story through “regret, tragedy, and shame”. Bunch rejected the assessment, telling staff that it was “not a fair characterization” of the museum’s work.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has also accused Smithsonian leaders of allowing a “radical institutional ideology” to permeate the museum, alleging that it weakened America’s shared identity. Those claims have been disputed by Smithsonian officials and historians.
Bunch has said the administration’s campaign played no part in his decision and has vowed to defend the institution’s independence until his final day. During his tenure, he also oversaw the development of two planned museums: the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
In a 2019 interview, Bunch described the Smithsonian as “part of the glue that holds the country together”, arguing that museums could help people find common ground rather than deepen divisions.
