Lonnie Bunch Is Leaving the Smithsonian
After months of clashes with the White House, the historian and leader of the institution is retiring later this year.
Lonnie Bunch, the Smithsonian Secretary, is set to announce his retirement at the end of the year, concluding a tenure fraught with intense pressure from the White House. The museum complex has faced unprecedented scrutiny as the administration sought to assert control over how the nation's history is portrayed. Bunch's departure will leave the Smithsonian, which receives partial federal funding, without a top leadership figure at a critical juncture.
The Trump administration has escalated its efforts to influence the Smithsonian's operations, issuing executive orders and memos critical of the museums and threatening to cut off funding. Bunch's tenure had largely been marked by his ability to navigate these challenges, maintaining a diplomatic and evenhanded approach for an extended period.
Despite the White House's attempts to exert influence, including the recent executive order mandating warning signs at the National Museum of American History, Bunch's leadership had largely deflected such interference. Bunch is best remembered as the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, a role that garnered significant recognition. This situation is evolving and will be updated accordingly.
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