Smithsonian Chief Bunch Plans 2026 Retirement Amid Dispute

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, 73, announced he will retire by the end of 2026 after seven years leading the institution and nearly five decades of work there. Bunch, the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Smithsonian’s first Black secretary, said he was ready to spend more time with his family and that pressure from the Trump administration did not cause his departure. His retirement comes amid an escalating dispute over the Smithsonian’s presentation of U.S. history, including administration accusations of ideological activism, threats to federal support and an order requiring warnings about allegedly inaccurate museum content. Bunch has defended the institution’s independence and commitment to presenting an accurate, complex history, while Chief Justice John Roberts praised his leadership and said the Board of Regents would work to ensure a smooth transition. A successor has not been announced.