Smithsonian secretary announces retirement amid White House pressure

WASHINGTON - Lonnie Bunch III, the secretary of the Smithsonian, announced he will retire by the end of the year. It comes as the Smithsonian continues to face pressure from the White House.

What we know:

Bunch was named as the institution’s 14th secretary in June 2019. He was the first African American to serve in the role. His retirement will conclude his nearly 38 years of service at the Smithsonian. 

"I have spent nearly half of my life working at and being part of the Smithsonian family, and what a privilege it has been," Bunch said in a statement. "There is no place like the Smithsonian—it has been one of the great loves of my life, and I am extraordinarily proud of what we have accomplished together. I leave with pride and sadness, gratitude and joy, and with enormous confidence in the people who will carry this remarkable institution forward."

During his time at the Smithsonian, Bunch helped the institution reach several milestones, including assisting in welcoming two new giant pandas to the National Zoo. 

"From his days as a young curator at the National Air and Space and American History Museums through his tenure as the founding director of the African American History and Culture Museum and culminating in his distinguished service for the past seven years in the Smithsonian’s top job, Secretary Bunch has pursued excellence in the telling of our nation’s story," said Chief Justice and Smithsonian Chancellor John Roberts, Jr. 

Bunch joined the Smithsonian in 1978 and served in several leadership roles through the early 2000s before becoming founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. 

"It is time for my next chapter, a chapter that will allow me to continue to protect the integrity of the Smithsonian and to champion the importance of a history that illuminates and celebrates the complex story of our nation," Bunch said. "The Smithsonian has been a reservoir of science, history, art and culture that freely allows the public to find knowledge, understanding, clarity, education, hope and a bit of joy. I will always carry the Smithsonian within me."

Smithsonian leaders said they will announce an acting secretary and begin a national search for Bunch’s successor. 

The announcement comes amid growing tension between Smithsonian leadership and the White House, which has accused the institution and its leaders of "extreme political activism, rooted in Marxism, to divide, dispirit, and discourage Americans." 

Leaders react 

What they're saying:

Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05) expressed disappointment about the Smithsonian's loss of its leader.

"Sadly, Secretary Bunch is the latest casualty of this Administration’s war on intellectual honesty and the complex facts of our history," Hoyer said in a statement. 

Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said Bunch has been "instrumental in telling and preserving the story of our nation and our culture." 

""In the face of Donald Trump’s attacks on the Smithsonian, Secretary Bunch spoke truth to power and reasserted his commitment to defend and uphold American history and values. While I respect his decision to depart, the job now falls to the Board of Regents and Congress to ensure the success of his work will remain for generations to come," the senator wrote.

NewsWashington, D.C.