Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts praised the outgoing head of the Smithsonian Institution on Tuesday after the official came under fire from President Donald Trump's administration.Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch, 73, announced plans to retire this week after more than a year of tension with the White House over how U.S.history is presented at his institution.
The Trump administration released a July report earlier this summer laying out its criticisms of the National Museum of American History in particular.Roberts, who serves as the chancellor of the Smithsonian, hailed Bunch on his departure, saying he "pursued excellence in the telling of our nation’s story" and that the Smithsonian had "benefited greatly from his wisdom, vision and leadership."FORMER DEMOCRATIC STAFFERS, DEI LEADERS SHAPE SMITHSONIAN LEADERSHIP AMID POLITICAL FIRESTORMSecretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lonnie Bunch listens during an event at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on February 20, 2026 in Washington, D.C.Mrs.
Trump donated her second inaugural dress to the museum, which was designed by fashion designer Herve Pierre, who also designed her first inauguration dress.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)Prior to his departure, Bunch had pushed back internally on criticism from the White House.
The July report argued that the Smithsonian had become "subject to institutional capture by a radical, activist ideology that is fundamentally opposed to telling the noble, honest story of the great country we know and love."Bunch responded with an internal email to staff members, acknowledging that there is "room for improvement," but arguing the report was "not a fair characterization of the work and totality of the National Museum of American History."TRUMP ORDERS SIGNS OUTSIDE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM AMID ROW OVER ITS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN HISTORYNational Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig appears with former first lady Jill Biden and Smithsonian Institu...