Lonnie Bunch to retire from Smithsonian leadership following clash with Trump administration

Sep 8, 2026, 9:56 AM | Updated: 10:24 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lonnie Bunch is stepping down from the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution following a tumultuous year in which President Donald Trump tried to remake the portrayal of U.S. history by way of entities including the museum and research complex.

Bunch said in a news release Tuesday that he was departing the position he had held since 2019 “with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude.” The Smithsonian said he would leave the post at the end of the year.

Bunch’s departure comes two months after a Smithsonian Institution, especially at the National Museum of American History, as radical activists who cannot be trusted, an indication that Trump could be preparing to install his own team.

Please follow our Community Guidelines

National News

This image, contained in the indictment against former President Donald Trump, and partially redact...

Associated Press

New grand jury subpoenas being sent in investigation targeting Trump-Russia probe, AP sources say

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is demanding testimony before a Florida grand jury in an investigation aiming to establish an intelligence community conspiracy against President Donald Trump, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. New subpoenas being issued to former government officials represent an escalation in the year-long investigation as the Justice Department […]

11 minutes ago

Associated Press

The Blade newspaper in Toledo is for sale, and ownership says it will shut down if no buyer is found

The owners of The Blade are looking to sell the Toledo newspaper and said Tuesday that if they’re unsuccessful, both the print and digital versions of the paper will stop publishing at the end of the year. Block Communications similarly cited financial losses when it announced in January that it would cease publishing another newspaper, […]

46 minutes ago

LSU head coach Lane Kiffin reacts in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Clemso...

Associated Press

Southeastern Conference leaders to discuss kicking LSU out of league over player eligibility dispute

Leaders of the Southeastern Conference will meet Thursday to discuss whether to kick LSU out of the conference in the wake of a simmering feud over whether players who spent time in the NFL should be allowed back on the team’s roster. On Tuesday, the SEC amended the federal lawsuit it filed last week, asking […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press