Lonnie G. Bunch III announced Tuesday that he will leave his position as Secretary of the Smithsonian, the largest complex of museums, education, and research in the United States, after seven years at the helm of the institution. Bunch, 73, said it was not political pressure that led him to make the decision, stating in an interview: "It was really just saying: now is the time."
The departure comes amid intense attacks from President Donald Trump's administration against the way the Smithsonian presents American history and values. The White House ordered a review of the institution's exhibitions to extol "American greatness," which sparked division of opinions in the country.
Some sectors see the movement as an attack on the institution's autonomy, while others praise the intervention, arguing that the organization should be reined in considering that it is dominated by liberal bias. The controversy occurs at a time of tense cultural disputes in the United States over how the country's history should be told in public spaces.
