Lonnie Bunch to Retire as Smithsonian Secretary at End of 2026

Lonnie G. Bunch III, the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, said Tuesday that he will retire at the end of 2026, closing a nearly 38-year run at the nation’s museum and research complex.

His departure comes at a sensitive moment for the Smithsonian, which has spent months under pressure from the Trump administration over how American history is presented in federal museums. Bunch has been one of the institution’s most visible defenders during that fight, making the leadership change notable beyond a routine retirement announcement.

In a statement quoted by CBS, Bunch said, “It is with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude that I announce my retirement from the Smithsonian.” The Associated Press and the Smithsonian announcement said he will leave “at the end of the year,” meaning by Dec. 31, 2026.

Bunch has served as the Smithsonian’s 14th secretary since June 16, 2019, according to his Smithsonian biography. He is also one of the institution’s best-known leaders: He joined the Smithsonian in 1978 and later became the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Appointed to that role in 2005, he led the project through the museum’s opening in 2016.

According to Washington Post reporting, Bunch said his retirement was not driven by White House pressure and that he wants to spend more time with his family. He also said he would continue defending the Smithsonian’s independence until he leaves. In recent months, he had publicly pushed back on administration criticism, saying the White House report on one of the Smithsonian’s museums was “not a fair characterization” of its work, the Post reported.

That conflict sharpened over the summer. On July 4, the White House Domestic Policy Council released a 162-page report criticizing the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and its leadership. On July 24, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the Interior Department and National Park Service to install temporary signs on National Park Service-maintained walkways outside the museum referencing the report’s findings. The pressure followed a broader March 27, 2025, executive order focused on how American history is presented at federal historical sites and museums.

Even with that backdrop, the president does not directly appoint or remove the Smithsonian secretary. The institution’s leader is chosen by the Smithsonian Board of Regents, a governing board that includes Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who serves as chancellor, and the vice president as a regent.

Roberts praised Bunch in a statement reported by The Washington Post, saying, “Secretary Bunch has pursued excellence in the telling of our nation’s story.” The comment also signaled support for the coming transition at the institution.

Bunch will remain in office through the end of the year, leaving the Smithsonian at the close of 2026 after a career that spanned nearly four decades and included building one of its most prominent museums.