Lonnie Bunch hits back at Trump attacks as the outgoing Smithsonian Institution secretary received a standing ovation while defending the organisation’s approach to American history and rejecting claims that its museums are unpatriotic.
Speaking on Friday at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, Bunch told hundreds of people that presenting the difficult and complex parts of American history should not be interpreted as hostility towards the United States.
His remarks came amid escalating tensions between the Smithsonian and the administration of President Donald Trump, which has criticised aspects of the institution’s exhibitions and ordered reviews of museum content.
Bunch Defends Smithsonian Against Trump Attacks
Bunch, who announced earlier this month that he would retire at the end of 2026, used an event marking the 10th anniversary of the National Museum of African American History and Culture to defend the institution’s work.
“The notion that somehow this museum or any part of the Smithsonian is done by people who don’t love America, don’t care about America, is unbelievably wrong,” Bunch said.
“And what you see in this building is great love. Great respect.”
The audience responded with a standing ovation as Bunch rejected the suggestion that confronting painful episodes in American history amounts to an attack on the country.
‘You Cannot Understand All Without Illuminating the Dark Corners’
Bunch argued that museums have a responsibility to present history in its entirety, including periods that may be uncomfortable or difficult for audiences.
“You cannot understand the greatness of a country without understanding the totality of a country,” he said.
“You cannot understand all without illuminating the dark corners. Curating means let’s shine the light. Let’s tell the truth.”
His comments directly addressed a broader dispute over how American history should be presented as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary.
Bunch Says Slavery Is Foundational to US History
The outgoing Smithsonian secretary also defended the museum’s presentation of slavery, which has been a particular point of criticism from Trump.
Last year, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the Smithsonian was “OUT OF CONTROL”, complaining that its discussions focused too heavily on slavery and what he described as negative aspects of American history.
Bunch offered a different explanation for why slavery must remain central to understanding the country’s development.
“When people say you talk too much about slavery or that they’re embarrassed by slavery, I wish I was as strong as my enslaved ancestor,” Bunch said.
“I wish I could believe in America that they believed. I wish that I could dream a world anew that they dreamed.”
He said the purpose was not to embarrass the country but to understand how enslaved people endured their circumstances and continued to believe in a different future.
“So for me, it’s not saying, ‘Oh my god, I’m going to be embarrassed, I’m trying to hurt a country.’ I’m trying for people to understand, how did these people believe?” he said.
Smithsonian Chief Defends Independent Scholarship
Bunch also stressed that museum curation should be guided by scholarship rather than political pressure.
The Smithsonian operates under a board of regents rather than as an ordinary executive-branch department. The board includes US Chief Justice John Roberts and Vice-President JD Vance, according to the Guardian.
The Trump administration has accused cultural institutions of attempting to rewrite American history and has demanded changes to some museum presentations as part of its broader review.
Bunch, however, maintained that historical interpretation requires room for complexity and competing experiences.
His defence comes as the Smithsonian prepares for a leadership transition following his decision to retire.
Bunch to Leave Smithsonian After Decades of Service
Bunch has spent much of his professional life at the Smithsonian. He first joined the institution in 1978 and later became the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
He became the Smithsonian’s 14th secretary in 2019, making him the first African American and first historian to hold the institution’s top position.
The Smithsonian said Bunch will conclude nearly 38 years of service when he retires at the end of the year.
Before becoming secretary, Bunch spent more than a decade developing the National Museum of African American History and Culture from an idea into a major institution on the National Mall.
The museum opened in September 2016 and has since welcomed more than 13 million visitors, according to the Smithsonian.
Bunch said his departure would not mean the end of the institution’s role in presenting African American history or difficult chapters of the American experience.
Bunch Says Museum Will Endure
During Friday’s event, Bunch recalled walking through the museum during difficult moments in his tenure and finding inspiration in its exhibitions.
He specifically referred to the casket of Emmett Till, whose murder became an important catalyst in the US civil rights movement.
“I find myself saying: ‘You can persevere,’” Bunch said.
He described the museum as a “beacon of possibility” and a “place of resistance”, while expressing confidence that its work would continue despite political pressure.
“What I’m proudest of is that, though there’ll be pushes and attempts to try to do things, this museum will stand as long as there’s an America,” he said.
The Smithsonian’s own announcement of Bunch’s retirement said he wanted to continue protecting the institution’s integrity and championing a history that illuminates the complexity of the American experience.
Legacy Fund Launched in Bunch’s Honour
The event also featured television producer and Smithsonian board member Shonda Rhimes, who pledged $1 million to a newly launched legacy fund honouring Bunch.
The fund had already received a $3.5 million anonymous donation and has a minimum target of $10 million, according to the Guardian.
Acting museum director Shanita Brackett said the fund would support the museum and help maintain its commitment to inclusion, public engagement and independent scholarship.
The development comes as the Smithsonian faces an important leadership transition and continued scrutiny over how its museums present American history.
Trump Administration and Smithsonian Face Continuing Dispute
The dispute between the Trump administration and the Smithsonian has developed over several years, involving questions about museum content, historical interpretation and institutional independence.
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In 2025, Trump signed an executive order accusing the Smithsonian of being influenced by what his administration described as a divisive, race-centred ideology. The administration subsequently pursued reviews of museum content.
Bunch’s retirement announcement on September 8 confirmed that he would leave at the end of 2026. The Smithsonian said the Board of Regents would focus on maintaining stability during the transition before beginning a national search for his successor.
His latest public comments therefore come at a significant moment for the institution, as the Smithsonian prepares for new leadership while facing continuing political debate over how America’s history should be interpreted.
For Bunch, however, the central message remains that acknowledging difficult chapters of the past is part of understanding the United States rather than an attempt to diminish it.
