Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III to Retire at End of 2026

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, the first African American to lead the institution, announced he will retire at the end of 2026. Bunch, who founded the National Museum of African American History and Culture, cited personal reasons. He acknowledged stress from Trump administration pressure on the Smithsonian's depictions of U.S. history but told the Washington Post that pressure played no role in his decision.