Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch is leaving amid tensions with Trump

Bunch, the first Black person and first historian to lead the institution, said he has “mixed emotions” about departing.

Lonnie G. Bunch III will step down as head of the sprawling Smithsonian Institution by the end of the year, he said Tuesday.

He will depart at a vulnerable time for the institution, which includes dozens of museums, along with libraries, research centers and the National Zoo. While the Smithsonian has traditionally operated independently of the party in power, the Trump administration has repeatedly criticized how the institution portrays America’s past. Last week, the Interior Department threatened to cut off support, alleging that Smithsonian facilities present a “radical ideology” that weakens “shared American identity.”

Bunch, who has worked at the Smithsonian for 38 years, said in a statement that his retirement came “with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude.”

“I have spent nearly half of my life working at and being part of the Smithsonian family, and what a privilege it has been,” said Bunch, who became secretary in 2019. “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.”

A person familiar with the situation told NBC News there was no pressure from the regents — the board that leads the museums — for Bunch to resign.