Washington DC - Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III recently announced that he is stepping down from the role amid his ongoing feud with President Donald Trump.
According to The New York Times, Bunch sent a farewell letter to staff on Tuesday in which he discussed how his more than 40 years with the Smithsonian – seven as secretary – had become "far more than a career."
"It has become an integral part of who I am. At this moment, I feel like I am in a Frank Capra movie. Thanks to all of you, I have a wonderful life," he wrote.
In an interview, Bunch – the first African American to head the institution in its history – said his leave came as he felt that "now's the time," though he did admit he was facing a lot of pressure.
"I have to be honest, it has been stressful, and at a certain point, I'd like to wake up in the morning and not look at my cellphone."
His departure comes as the Trump administration has aggressively put pressure on the institution to "remove divisive or partisan narratives" from exhibits after conducting a review of the National Museum of American History.
At the time, Bunch sent a memo to staff describing the review as "not a fair characterization of the work and totality" of the museum, and vowed to continue on.
Bunch said that he doesn't regret fighting to "protect the Smithsonian," though there were "other times I let things go."