Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III Resigns After 7 Years as Trump Pressure Intensifies
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 8
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III Resigns After 7 Years as Trump Pressure Intensifies
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 8
Summary
Lonnie G. Bunch III, 73, said he will step down as Smithsonian secretary at the end of the year, ending a seven-year tenure.
Bunch said the decision was not driven by White House pressure, though he acknowledged the job had become stressful amid escalating attacks on how the institution presents American history and values.
The Trump administration has pushed the Smithsonian toward what President Trump calls “patriotic” history, fueling concerns about the institution’s autonomy while drawing praise from critics who see liberal bias in its exhibits.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., the Smithsonian’s chancellor, praised Bunch’s leadership, as his departure leaves the institution facing a broader fight over political influence on national cultural and historical narratives.