Trump-Smithsonian rift takes unexpected turn as longtime chief quits: ‘Now is the time’

WASHINGTON, DC: The longstanding rift between President Donald Trump and the Smithsonian Institution, which has often turned intense, has culminated in an unexpected development as the institution’s longtime leader Lonnie Bunch III has announced his retirement.

The conflict, which began early in 2025, continued to escalate through a series of executive orders, public rebukes, and funding threats.

Smithsonian chief retires amid escalating clash with Trump

Historian Lonnie Bunch will leave his position as secretary of the Smithsonian at the end of the year, he announced Tuesday, Sept 8.

Lonnie Bunch’s announcement to step down from the position comes after years long ideological clash between the Trump admin and the Institution. However, Bunch stated that White House pressure was not the sole reason for his departure.

In an interview with The New York Times, Bunch said, "now's the time." 

"It is with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude that I announce my retirement from the Smithsonian," Bunch said in a statement. "I have spent nearly half of my life working at and being part of the Smithsonian family, and what a privilege it has been."

Museum presents African American History and Culture 

Bunch, who has worked for the Smithsonian for 38 years, said he leaves the position "with pride and sadness, gratitude and joy, and with enormous confidence in the people who will carry this remarkable institution forward."

"I have to be honest, it has been stressful," he said. "And at a certain point, I'd like to wake up in the morning and not look at my cellphone."

The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in 2016.

Bunch co-founded the museum and served as executive director of the museum until he became secretary of the Smithsonian in 2019. He was the first African American to hold the role in its 173-year history. 

Trump-Smithsonian rift timeline

The root of the rift lie in the ideological differences. Trump administration wants to present a highly patriotic narrative of American history, while the institution is apparently committed to modern, comprehensive historical scholarship.

In a recent public display of the rift, the Donald Trump administration initiated a wide-ranging review of the Smithsonian Institution, seeking to ensure its 19 museums present exhibitions that reflect what officials describe as “unity, progress, and enduring values” in advance of the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026.