Lonnie Bunch Announces Retirement as Smithsonian Secretary
Bunch said the decision was personal as the Smithsonian faces pressure over exhibits on race, slavery and American history.
- On Tuesday, Lonnie G. Bunch III announced his retirement after seven years as the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian, describing his tenure as a profound privilege and calling the institution one of the great loves of his life.
- Bunch began his career in the late 1970s when Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins hired him to work in the education department, later returning to lead the NMAAHC before his 2019 appointment as Secretary.
- His tenure expanded the institution's roster of 19 museums by adding two new members: the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum and the National Museum of the American Latino, cementing institutional growth.
- Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, who serves as the Smithsonian chancellor, said the Board of Regents will manage the transition and ensure a smooth succession for Bunch's replacement.
- Bunch described the Smithsonian as a "national classroom," emphasizing that the institution's work helps the nation understand its complex history and remains essential to America's self-understanding.
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NEWS HEADLINES: Smithsonian head announces retirement after months of Trump admin. criticizing institution over ‘radical ideology’ – One America News Network
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lonnie Bunch speaks during an event at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on February 20, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) OAN Staff Addie Davis12:01 PM – Wednesday, September 9, 2026 Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III announced his retirement after the institution has faced months of criticism from the Trump administration over allegations of rewritin…
Lonnie Bunch to retire as Trump escalates pressure on Smithsonian
WASHINGTON — Lonnie G. Bunch III, the first Black person to lead the Smithsonian Institution and the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), will retire by the end of 2026. But Bunch is leaving during an extraordinary moment for the institution he has led since 2019. President Donald Trump’s administration has increased pressure on the […]
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