"Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III is retiring as more than a third of the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents is set to become vacant."
"The coming leadership transition at the Smithsonian Institution will give President Donald Trump his biggest opportunity yet to influence how it tells the story of America.
On Tuesday, Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, who has resisted the administration’s pressure campaign, announced he will retire by the end of the year. At the same time, the institution’s 17-member Board of Regents, which will choose Bunch’s replacement, is undergoing an unusual turnover: Three of its nine citizen seats are already vacant, and three more terms are scheduled to expire within the next month.
The convergence could make the search for the Smithsonian’s 15th secretary unlike any in its 180-year history. Previous searches have largely revolved around professional qualifications and whether a scientist, academic administrator or humanist was best equipped to run the sprawling museum and research organization. This one begins after Trump has spent more than a year demanding changes to the Smithsonian’s exhibits and leadership — and as Republicans and Democrats are already staking out competing visions for Bunch’s successor."
Jonathan Edwards reports for the Washington Post September 9, 2026.
