The Smithsonian Institution's top official, Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, announced Tuesday that he will retire by the end of the year, a decision that comes just days after the Trump administration threatened to cut federal funding and partnerships over the museum complex's handling of American history.
Bunch, 73, made history as the first African American to lead the Smithsonian and founded its National Museum of African American History and Culture. He has served as secretary for more than seven years, overseeing the world's largest museum and research complex.
In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Bunch expressed mixed emotions about his departure. "It is with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude that I announce my retirement from the Smithsonian," he said. "I leave with pride and sadness, gratitude and joy, and with enormous confidence in the people who will carry this remarkable institution forward."
The announcement lands less than a week after Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Trump adviser Vince Haley sent an Aug. 28 letter to Smithsonian leaders, threatening to cut off federal support and end partnerships with agencies. The letter cited a July White House report that accused the institution of promoting a "culture of ideological activism" through its exhibits, pointing to what they called "alarming examples" of "radical ideology."
"Those executive departments and agencies cannot in good conscience continue to support the Smithsonian under current leadership by, for example, loaning artifacts for exhibits, enabling procurement processes and making discretionary grants," the letter read.
Bunch told The Washington Post that the administration's pressure did not influence his decision to retire, saying he had been considering stepping down for about a year to spend more time with his family. He also reiterated his commitment to defending the Smithsonian's independence.
"We're at a time when people are challenging that independence," Bunch said. "I feel very strongly that it is as independent as we were before, and that I will continue to fight — for as long as I'm in this chair — for the independence of the Smithsonian."
According to the Post, Bunch informed the executive committee of the Board of Regents about his decision last week and intends to stay long enough to ensure a smooth transition. His departure adds to a broader pattern of friction between the administration and cultural institutions, as seen in ongoing legal battles over federal policies and escalating trade disputes that have drawn sharp political lines.
Bunch's tenure has been marked by efforts to expand the Smithsonian's reach and address complex narratives of American history. His leadership of the African American museum, which opened in 2016, was widely praised. But critics on the right have increasingly targeted such institutions for what they see as a divisive approach to the nation's past.
The Smithsonian has not yet named a successor. Bunch's retirement becomes effective at the end of the year, and the Board of Regents is expected to begin a search in the coming months. The move is likely to intensify debates over the future direction of the institution, especially with the Trump administration signaling continued scrutiny of its programming.
