Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III announced his retirement Tuesday following months of White House criticism over how the historic institution and its dozens of museums present U.S. history.
Mr. Bunch, 73, said he wants to spend more time with his family and grandchildren, noting that pressure from the Trump administration regarding the portrayal of American history played no role in his choice to leave.
The Trump team has accused the museum complex of “extreme political activism” and anti-American bias.
The White House Domestic Policy Council released a 162-page report targeting the National Museum of American History, claiming it promotes a “radical view of American history” that focuses too much on oppression, slavery and civil rights while minimizing the nation’s founding ideals.
Mr. Bunch and museum representatives disputed the allegations. He stated in a July memo to staff that the Smithsonian remained committed to “scholarship, nonpartisanship, independence, accuracy, and integrity.”
Escalating pressure, the administration threatened that executive agencies would halt routine cooperation, artifact loans and grants to the institution under its current leadership.
“It is time for my next chapter, a chapter that will allow me to continue to protect the integrity of the Smithsonian and to champion the importance of a history that illuminates and celebrates the complex story of our nation,” Mr. Bunch said Tuesday.
He plans to step down by the end of 2026, having served as secretary since June 2019 as the first African American and first historian to lead the institution.
“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 in a statement. “There is no place like the Smithsonian — it has been one of the great loves of my life, and I am extraordinarily proud of what we have accomplished together. I leave with pride and sadness, gratitude and joy, and with enormous confidence in the people who will carry this remarkable institution forward.”
The institution said details of the leadership transition will be announced at a later date.
The 17-member Smithsonian Board of Regents is responsible for choosing Mr. Bunch’s successor.
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who also serves as the Smithsonian’s chancellor, said in a statement that Mr. Bunch had “pursued excellence in the telling of our nation’s story,” and the board and the Smithsonian have “benefited greatly from his wisdom, vision and leadership.
“We look forward to working with him in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition for his successor,” Chief Justice Roberts said.
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