Lonnie Bunch III, serving as the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, who has emphasized that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are crucial for excellence in museum operations, has accumulated more than $4.4 million from 2020 to 2024 in terms of base salary and additional benefits, according to a review by Fox News Digital.
Although the Smithsonian channels its executive pay through private trust revenues to adhere to federal salary restrictions, such a substantial compensation package could spark new discussions, particularly considering that federal taxpayers still cover about 60% of the institution’s total budget.
During his leadership, Bunch has been a strong advocate for a transformative change in the cultural influence of the institution. In a 2019 interview with Smithsonian Magazine, he expressed his vision of embedding diversity and inclusion so seamlessly into the Smithsonian culture that it almost ceases to be a topic of discussion.
Bunch remarked, “We call ourselves the Great Convener, but we’re truly a great legitimizer. I want the Smithsonian to lend legitimacy to significant issues, be it the 1619 or climate change,” referring to the contentious 1619 Project, which has faced criticism from scholars for its “egregious errors.”
“We assist people in contemplating what matters, what should be debated, and what ought to be embraced,” he added.
“Everybody that thought about the 1619 Project, whether they liked it or disagreed with it, saw that the Smithsonian had fingerprints on it. And that to me was a great victory,” he added.
As secretary, Bunch reports to the organization’s board of regents and oversees the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, 21 libraries, the National Zoo and several research centers. Within the organization, the departments of the deputy secretary, chief operating officer and external affairs report to him.
While Bunch’s current salary is not public yet, the Smithsonian Institution’s 990 tax forms from 2020 to 2024 show that he has raked in millions of dollars, including a salary of $915,469 with $74,090 in added benefits in 2024.
Other years range from $726,156 to $861,379 for his salary and up to $68,391 in added benefits.
In addition to the interview, he co-wrote a policy framework resource titled “Excellence in DEAI,” an acronym for diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion, which was written for the American Alliance of Museums.
Bunch further elaborated on his views on diversity in this 17-page document, which says that museums should “embed responsibility and accountability for implementing DEAI policies and processes into operations, job descriptions, and performance reviews at all levels of the institution, from the board of directors, c-level executives, and senior leaders to middle managers, junior staff, and volunteers.”
“DEAI is integral to excellence in museum practice. FULL STOP,” Bunch wrote.
“Amid social, political and cultural polarization and clear structural racism and other forms of oppression in the United States and around the world, DEAI must be at the center of how we understand and practice excellence in our institutions,” he added.
Bunch’s comments, along with statements from other Smithsonian leadership members, have prompted scrutiny from the Trump administration.
In a report titled “Saving America’s Story,” the administration raised concerns that the organization had taken on a clear political bent.
“Confirmed in the words of museum leadership, this ideological capture has moved the museum’s mission away from straightforward historical education and scholarship toward an extreme political activism that seeks to transform our country,” the report reads.
For his part, Bunch has claimed that he sees himself as an apolitical actor without an agenda despite pushing for DEAI.
“What the country needs are places that are nonpartisan and safe, where people can grapple with what’s going on around them,” Bunch told Smithsonian Magazine.
The Smithsonian, which was established by Congress in 1846 as an independent federal trust, depends heavily on taxpayer dollars.
“Financially, the institution depends on the federal government for approximately two-thirds of its funding,” the organization stated in its 2025 management report.
Bunch did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether he believes his political leanings are at odds with the Smithsonian’s overall purpose or whether federal funding should prevent the organization’s employees from furthering a stated agenda.