Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch Announces Retirement After Clash With Trump Administration
Lonnie G. Bunch III, the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, announced his retirement on 8 September 2026, ending a tenure that began in 2019 and coincided with mounting pressure from President Donald Trump over the institution's direction.
The Smithsonian confirmed the news in an official release on its own website, si.edu, stating that Bunch will step down at the end of this year. Reuters reported that the announcement came after months of accusations from Trump, who has pushed for changes at the institution. The Associated Press described Bunch's departure as following "a challenging year" in which the president sought to reshape the Smithsonian's leadership and programming. ARTnews separately reported that Bunch's retirement comes amid the clash with the Trump administration.
Bunch assumed the role of Secretary on 16 June 2019 and was formally installed on 1 November 2019 in a ceremony at the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries Building in Washington, D.C. He is the first African American to hold the position in the institution's history.
As Secretary, Bunch oversaw 21 museums — including two new ones — along with the National Zoo and numerous research and education centres. The Smithsonian is the world's largest museum, education and research complex, funded by a combination of federal appropriations and private donations.
Trump's interventions at the Smithsonian have drawn attention throughout 2026. The president has accused the institution of promoting what he described as divisive narratives, particularly in exhibitions dealing with race and American history. Specific details of the changes Trump sought have not been fully documented in public reporting, though both Reuters and the Associated Press characterised the pressure as sustained and escalating over several months.
Bunch's retirement will trigger a search for the 15th Secretary of the Smithsonian. The institution's Board of Regents, the governing body that includes congressional members and citizen regents appointed by Congress, is responsible for selecting a successor. No timeline for that process has been announced.
Before becoming Secretary, Bunch was the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened on the National Mall in 2016. That museum, authorised by an act of Congress in 2003, became one of the most visited units in the Smithsonian system. His career at the institution began decades earlier, including curatorial roles at the National Museum of American History in the 1980s and 1990s.
The Smithsonian has not yet named an interim or acting Secretary. Bunch's departure at year's end leaves the institution navigating both a leadership transition and the ongoing political scrutiny that has defined his final year in the role.
