American historian and museum administrator, director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History
The White House has released a July Fourth report criticizing the Smithsonian’s portrayal of American history as biased toward activism. President Trump has issued an executive order directing sidewalk signs outside the Smithsonian and a temporary exhibit to present what he calls accurate information, while Smithsonian leadership defends ongoing scholarship and a fuller account of the nation’s story.
Lonnie G. Bunch III will leave the Smithsonian Institution by year’s end. The departure follows a White House report criticizing Smithsonian leadership and a broader push from the Trump administration to realign how American history is presented in national museums. The move comes as the institution faces renewed calls for changes to exhibits and leadership amid partisan pressure.