Retirement follows White House Smithsonian report
The Smithsonian Institution announced Tuesday that Lonnie Bunch will step down at the end of the year. Bunch has led the museum and research complex since 2019.
In a news release, Bunch said he was departing “with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude.”
His tenure closed a year marked by friction between the Smithsonian and the Trump administration over how American history is portrayed at the museum and research complex and other federal cultural entities.
In July, the White House issued a report that singled out Smithsonian leaders — particularly those at the National Museum of American History — as “radical activists who cannot be trusted,” according to the Associated Press. The July release came roughly two months before Tuesday’s announcement.
The AP described the July report as a signal that Trump could be preparing to install his own leadership team at the institution.
The retirement takes effect at the end of the year, leaving a vacancy at the top of the Smithsonian.