For Those Who Respect True History, This Is Very Sad News.
Tom Sherwood
@tomsherwood
I hate this News:
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch plans to announce his retirement from the institution at the end of this year, bringing to a close a tenure marked by unprecedented pressure on the museum complex from a White House keen on controlling how to tell the nation’s history.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/0…
https://x.com/tomsherwood/status/2097366647921070224
Why Lonnie Bunch Is Leaving the Smithsonian
After months of clashes with the White House, the historian and leader of the institution is retiring later this year.
By Kelsey Ables and Janay Kingsberry
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch plans to retire from the institution at the end of this year, bringing to a close a tenure marked by unprecedented pressure on the museum complex from a White House keen on controlling how to tell the nation’s history. After a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the departure to The Atlantic, Bunch addressed Smithsonian employees at a town hall this afternoon, telling them, “I may be going away, but I’m still going to be a pain in the ass to some people.”
The crowd of staffers, who spilled out of an auditorium and into an overflow room at the Hirshhorn Museum, clapped and cheered, even as some likely wondered: Why now? In conversations with intimates, Bunch has been floating his retirement since at least the beginning of this year. But the increased attention from the White House surely made stepping down an even more delicate decision. Bunch, who is 73, tried to deflect any notion that his departure was Trump-related, telling staffers, “I now realize that I’m old as dirt, and it’s time for the next chapter in my life.” He also suggested that the timing may have been influenced by his wife, Maria Marable-Bunch, who recently retired from the National Museum of the American Indian. “The Smithsonian represents more than a career to me; it’s been an integral part of who I am,” he said. “I think about during the many years here, I met the love of my life, who’s retired and told me I better retire soon.”
Bunch’s exit will leave the Smithsonian, which is largely federally funded, with a vacancy at the top as it faces escalating efforts from the Trump administration to influence its work. Bunch, known to be diplomatic and evenhanded, had largely staved off the White House’s encroachment over a tumultuous 18 months in which the administration issued executive orders and letters criticizing the museums and threatened to withhold funding. In July, President Trump signed an executive order calling for signage to be added to the exterior of the National Museum of American History warning about what the administration claims is an inaccurate and partisan telling of history. Smithsonian leaders have countered that telling the American story fairly and accurately means discussing its complexities too.
In a news release, Bunch said: “There is no place like the Smithsonian—it has been one of the great loves of my life, and I am extraordinarily proud of what we have accomplished together. I leave with pride and sadness, gratitude and joy, and with enormous confidence in the people who will carry this remarkable institution forward.” The chair of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, Franklin D. Raines, thanked Bunch for his service and said the institution’s governing body will be “focused on ensuring stability during this time of transition.” He said that the Smithsonian would soon announce an acting secretary and begin a search for Bunch’s successor. “There are some very strong internal candidates,” Kim Sajet, the former director of the National Portrait Gallery, told us today.
Before becoming secretary of the entire Smithsonian, Bunch was the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which has been widely praised for its powerful handling of the darkest chapters of America’s past. In Bunch, the Smithsonian had at its helm an advocate for its continued independence. The first historian and the first Black leader of the 21-museum complex, he spent nearly 38 years in roles across the institution. His departure has increased anxieties about the institution’s future.
His stewardship in creating the ‘ Blacksonian’, will forever have my utmost respect.
Ken Burns
@KenBurns
Lonnie Bunch is a great historian, public servant and a dear friend. He has devoted his career to helping us understand the full American story in all its complexity. Our country is better for his work, and I am deeply grateful for it.Wishing him the very best and thankful that he will remain engaged with all things history.
nytimes.com/2026/09/08/art…
https://x.com/KenBurns/status/2097363984588382407
Deborah Roberts
@DebRobertsABC
So very sad to hear that we are losing a brilliant mind in our country’s culture and history. Lonnie Bunch, the first black secretary of the Smithsonian, has decided to retire. He has been criticized by the Trump administration for the portrayal of U.S. slavery experiences.
https://x.com/DebRobertsABC/status/2097374009419501883
CNN Breaking News
@cnnbrk
The head of the Smithsonian Institution says he’s retiring. It comes amid efforts by the Trump administration to reshape the museum organization.cnn.it/4iSEb4o
https://x.com/cnnbrk/status/2097363454784905605
Geoff Bennett
@GeoffRBennett
We spoke with Lonnie Bunch last week, before he announced his retirement as Smithsonian Secretary. That conversation airs tonight on the @NewsHour — about the pressure the institution has faced from the Trump administration, how he views this moment, and the legacy he leaves behind.
https://x.com/GeoffRBennett/status/2097355645808709834
The next Administration really is going to have to deal with the countries that went along with this evil nonsense. Make an example of them.
Gillian Brockell
@gillianbrockell.com
AN URGENT EXCLUSIVE: Ahmed Soliman, the 30-year-old gay man ICE expelled in April to Equatorial Guinea, a country he has no ties to, was arrested this morning and cannot be located, his attorneys say. They fear he may be in one of EG’s torture prisons. prospect.org/2026/09/11/i…
1/4
Gillian Brockell
@gillianbrockell.com
· 4h
His attorneys believe this was retaliation for speaking with the media, including me, earlier this week, about police abuse at the hotel prison.
2/4
Gillian Brockell
@gillianbrockell.com
· 2h
This is my original story from two days ago, about Ahmed and two others having an assault rifle pointed at them while a police supervisor screamed, “Shoot him!” It’s on video. bsky.app/profile/gill…
4/4
https://bsky.app/profile/gillianbrockell.com/post/3mvbc3mg76k2s
scary lawyerguy
@scarylawyerguy
Iran is raising the costs of the war for us knowing 1) Trump has burned through a lot of our stock of missile interceptors, drones, etc. 2) He won’t commit ground troops; and 3) midterms are 7 weeks or so away. They’re gonna squeeze and squeeze until Dear Leader cuts and runs
https://x.com/scarylawyerguy/status/2098132607791677471
Democracy Docket
@DemocracyDocket
NEW: Several Republican secretaries of state are urging the Supreme Court to block USPS from forcing states to comply with sudden new mail voting regulations this November.
It’s the most significant pushback so far from the people who run elections against Trump’s mail voting restrictions. democracydocket.com/news-alerts/to…
https://x.com/DemocracyDocket/status/2098112849243513089
Al Jazeera English
@AJEnglish
BREAKING: The Houthis have swept through the last stretch of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, completing an 18-hour offensive that gives them full control of the entire Red Sea coastline, reports our correspondent on the ground.
🔴 LIVE updates: aje.news/nl8vr0
https://x.com/AJEnglish/status/2098321107107406137
They didn’t give two phucks about kids with disabilities.
They never have. Just used them to get what they really wanted.
They knew damn well that those private schools don’t work with disabled kids.
ProPublica
@propublica
New: To give voucher programs a toehold in state legislatures, politicians touted how students with disabilities would gain access to private education. But those students’ families often have the hardest time finding schools that will accept them.
https://x.com/propublica/status/2098354583957381294
NEVER LET THEM FORGET THAT SOME SAW THE RED FLAG THAT WAS FETTERMAN WAY BACK WHEN
Neera Tanden🌻
@neeratanden
Was that funny when you thought it? Because it’s kind a sad
You supported Fetterman after he pulled a gun on a black jogger. Some of us saw the red flags. Just like we saw the Nazi tattoo as a red flag
8:05 PM · Sep 9, 2026
https://x.com/neeratanden/status/2097853871221555614
@WSJ
The Wall Street Journal
@WSJ
6h
Iran-backed Houthi militants seized a strategic island in the Bab al-Mandeb strait and a town along its mainland coast, taking effective control of one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints on.wsj.com/4da9nsi
7:20 AM · Sep 11, 2026
MeidasTouch
@MeidasTouch
While Trump wants everyone to focus on his fake cash giveaways, this is the single most consequential story of the moment.
Iran-backed Houthis just took effective control of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints.
This route carries a huge share of global oil and trade. When it gets disrupted, energy prices rise and shipping costs explode.
Iran’s proxies just gained a much stronger position and they are set to make more gains in the region.
Trump’s war will go down as one of the biggest foreign policy disasters in history.
https://x.com/MeidasTouch/status/2098386192555479364
scary lawyerguy
@scarylawyerguy
If Joe Biden was sending some random real estate guy around the world while that guy was amassing a quarter of a billion dollars from various side hustles I’m skeptical the PAPER OF RECORD would bury such a story as they did this one. ⬇️
https://x.com/scarylawyerguy/status/2098341306334364070
They will never beat the allegations.
@MalarkeyControl
Jimmy Joe Joe Jingle Heimer Shabadu
@MalarkeyControl
Sep 9
Looking for free-free-palestine flags at the trumpapaloosa festival in Texas:
Neera Tanden🌻
@neeratanden
No protest of Gaza with any Republicans ever. Also no Iran War protests.
https://x.com/neeratanden/status/2098375843672162721
Why don’t you believe that it’s real?
Have you forgotten the clowns that you’re dealing with in this Administration?
Andrew Kaczynski
@KFILE
I can’t believe this is real. FOIA records appear to show Kash Patel directing his team to find accounts critizing him and respond. An aide warned that replying to “RetardFinder” would “look bad on you,” and Patel complained about the tweet views.
Flagged by @seth_hettena
https://x.com/KFILE/status/2098379140596469824
Sir Rottweiler 🐾 🇺🇸🏳️🌈
@SireRottweiler
Btw, one of the reasons I wanted Congresswoman Crockett to be the Dem nominee for Texas was b/c I knew leftist would be abandoning Talarico midway through the general.
They don’t know how to win outside ultra blue districts. At least Crockett’s base wouldn’t have abandoned her.
4:49 AM · Sep 11, 2026
https://x.com/SireRottweiler/status/2098348274390577404
He’s giving his views on rape.
David Weigel
@daveweigel
This is the GOP nominee who ran for what was going to be a safe red seat, and will now be a +23 Harris seat again. motherjones.com/politics/2014/…
https://x.com/daveweigel/status/2098377942480941273
Jacob Rubashkin
@JacobRubashkin
🚨NEW | Following the Missouri and US Supreme Court decisions on redistricting, we’re making a ratings change this morning:
MO 5 (Cleaver, D) from Solid Republican🔴 to Solid Democratic🔵
https://x.com/JacobRubashkin/status/2098072783989133321
Longtime Black Man Here
@groove_sdc
Fun fact a lot of left wing media is funded or was funding by right wing billionaires including The Intercept and The Young Turks.
https://x.com/groove_sdc/status/2098420785526243352
@WajahatAli
Wajahat Ali
@WajahatAli
20h
.@SymoneDSanders and @EugeneDaniels2, here’s a crazy idea: Why not invite Rula Jebreal on your shows to discuss why people are critiquing Hakeem Jeffries and Schumer?
Agreed, there’s no place for racist language, but the critiques are based on the Democratic leadership’s Show more
7:52 AM · Sep 11, 202
Longtime Black Man Here
@groove_sdc
Because fuck her? Why do we have to platform someone using racist language?
There’s an epidemic of lynchings in this country, Republicans mass fired Black federal employees, Black professors, Black federal agents.
Gaza is more important than every domestic issue here?
https://x.com/groove_sdc/status/2098394132838220032
ajahat Ali
@WajahatAli
Sep 9
You and many other Dems continue to take money from AIPAC that is funded by right-wing, pro Trump billionaires who spend millions attacking Democrats.
Why?
Dr. Virgo
@DrVirgo1981
He’s racist.
In the 50s when racists would pretend that they were protecting their children by segregation. It was a cover for their racism.
Ali is using money in politics to act as a cover for his racism.
FYI Mike Johnson is House Speaker. Jeffries has never been in charge.
https://x.com/DrVirgo1981/status/2098014280993947774
Terry Lee Watkins Jr. 王瑞民💜💙
@TerryWatkinsJr1
Fetterman is a Bernie Sanders/White left populist problem.
Just like Tulsi Gabbarb.
Just like Graham Platner.
Just like Hasan Piker.
You all are so eager to endorse contrarianism that you breed republican sympathy.
9:24 PM · Sep 9, 2026
https://x.com/TerryWatkinsJr1/status/2097873765082509434
Tim
@trouble_man90
Trump lied all year in 2024 about his support for Project 2025, literally the entire year, and republicans just all quietly kept it moving, didn’t freak out. They gave him space and grace to do what he needed to do to win.
Meanwhile on the left no such grace exists. A single word out of line and all of sudden Talarico is a fascist??? You can’t even give him one sentence worth of grace?? You really think he should lose over this one statement??
https://x.com/trouble_man90/status/2097993784457826496
Kyle Griffin
@kylegriffin1
BREAKING:
The Supreme Court just granted an emergency appeal from Missouri organizers barring the use of the Republican-backed congressional maps in the midterms.
The order marks the second time this week the court has denied the use of the gerrymandered maps.
9:35 AM · Sep 10, 2026
https://x.com/kylegriffin1/status/2098057666362834990
Politics & Poll Tracker 📡
@PollTracker2024
Breaking news: US Supreme Court blocks Missouri from using 7R-1D congressional map for the 2026 midterms.
No noted dissents.
https://x.com/PollTracker2024/status/2098055617470415217
Democracy Docket
@DemocracyDocket
NEW: The Trump administration has quietly removed a key option used by overseas voters to register and request mail ballots.
It’s the latest step in an ongoing effort by the administration to make voting more difficult for certain groups of overseas voters who are thought to support Democrats. democracydocket.com/news-alerts/tr…
https://x.com/DemocracyDocket/status/2097804137328967906
UH HUH
UH HUH
Fly Sistah 🪷
@Fly_Sistah
Believe Ro Khanna when he says he wants to exclude Black people. FDR’s New Deal led to segregated affordable housing + redlining & deed restrictions preventing home sales to Black people. Social Security Excluded Most Blacks atlantablackstar.com/2015/02/04/9-w…
theroot.com/redlining-the-…
https://x.com/Fly_Sistah/status/2097816482650484857
good
Tom Powell Jr
@RealTomPowellJr
John Fetterman’s Approval Rating Collapses 120 Points in Just Two Years
https://x.com/RealTomPowellJr/status/2098051842785644627
UH HUH
UH HUH
@SireRottweiler
Sir Rottweiler 🐾 🇺🇸🏳️🌈
@SireRottweiler
14h
Friendly reminder that all the people at fight agency, Morris Katz’ agency, are all people who started off being part of Fetterman’s team.
They are now campaigning for Abdul El Sayed and Nithya Raman. Do with that information what you will.
Kaitlyn Hennessy
@Kdoespolitics
Don’t forget it’s the same crew they gave you Frankenstein Graham Platner and propped him up for a year, and blew $220 million in the California governors race!
Now they’re working on the Nithya Raman campaign!
https://x.com/Kdoespolitics/status/2098079185025777763
LITERALLY….FOLLOW THE BRIBE
Maine
@TheMaineWonk
Trump: Meets privately with Joesley Batista, who controls Brazil’s JBS- world’s largest beef producer.
Next Day: Announces US to import 660 MILLION lbs of beef, mostly from Brazil.
JBS: Donates $5 MILLION to Trump
It’s the most corrupt admin in history.
https://x.com/TheMaineWonk/status/2098046486516752742
UH HUH
UH HUH
Mr. Weeks 👑
@WonderKing82
Never forget even though DSA is working hard to change the factual narrative that John Fetterman was their guy!!!!
You will find an endorsement for John Fetterman from Hasan Piker…. but you will not find an endorsement of Kamala Harris from Hasan Piker.
11:13 AM · Sep 10, 2026
https://x.com/WonderKing82/status/2098082332120916237
Jane Voter
@janevoter2018.bsky.social
Follow
In 2025, Trump promised:
$5000 stimulus checks via “DOGE dividend”;
$2000 stimulus checks via “tariff dividend”;
$1000 checks via the “savings” from expiring ACA subsidies.
Did you get any of those checks? He’s not even acting like they are in the mail.
Are you seeing a pattern, yet?
https://bsky.app/profile/janevoter2018.bsky.social/post/3mv6fdv7nb22a
Headquarters
@headquartersnews.bsky.social
Follow
Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers repeatedly voted to block healthcare benefits for 9/11 first responders and veterans while he served in Congress.
He voted against healthcare funding for 9/11 heroes’ cancer treatment on 4 separate occasions.
1/2
https://bsky.app/profile/headquartersnews.bsky.social/post/3mv6gq47dnk2h
@ToluseO
Toluse Olorunnipa
@ToluseO
The Election Deniers Long Game
https://x.com/ToluseO/status/2098033071022891148
Nothing but truth
20. “This last election was a choice, a very simple one, in my opinion,” Ventura said. “You have the choice between the Constitution and the criminal, and this country chose the criminal.”
— The Editorial Board (@editorialboard.bsky.social) 2026-09-10T12:44:32.269Z
21. Ventura: “Now they’re all appalled at what’s happening? What would you expect the criminal to do when he gets in there? He’s gonna hire other criminals to work with him. They all will be an ilk together, a big group. “You put a criminal at the top of America, a convicted felon.”
— The Editorial Board (@editorialboard.bsky.social) 2026-09-10T12:44:55.349Z
Today, the Heritage Foundation, the org behind Project2025, took credit for driving Lonnie Bunch out the Smithsonian Institution. Bunch was the first African American and first historian to serve as head of the Smithsonian. But sure, tell me again how it’s not about racism.
— Devin Burghart (@dburghart.bsky.social) 2026-09-09T04:24:12.802Z
CLAP CLAP CLAP
Aaron Rupar
@atrupar.com
Hillary Clinton: “I love Israel, and I hate Netanyahu’s government and his policies. I love America, and I hate Trump’s government and policies … if the Israelis want to vote for that again, then I think the United States has to take a very tough position.”
https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mv65zl3iz523
THE GOP CONTROLS THE HOUSE
THE GOP CONTROLS THE SENATE
THE GOP CONTROLS THE WHITE HOUSE
WHY AREN’T THEY SENDING OUT THE $5000 CHECK NOW?
@erik4america
Erik Richardson
@erik4america
Everybody in America should be watching this, as the Missouri Republicans are moving into a state of open defiance of the courts. Think through what that would mean—abandoning the rule of law. If they are able to get away with this, their strategy will spread faster than a wildfire, and it will leave a charred, dystopic wasteland.
https://x.com/erik4america/status/2097657430830207128
Faytuks Network
@FaytuksNetwork
BREAKING: Zelenskyy’s plane was nearly hit by a drone as it prepared to take off from Moldova, Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre says
1:10 PM · Sep 9, 2026
https://x.com/FaytuksNetwork/status/2097749538886848610
@marceelias
Marc E. Elias
@marceelias
I have often said that Donald Trump’s plan is to make it harder for you to vote and easier for him to cheat. Now we know what that will look like in 2026.
https://x.com/marceelias/status/2097623937425281493
GOP Ls
@GOP__Ls
🚨 North Dakota senators killed a bill providing free breakfast and lunch to every K–12 student.
Republican Sen. Janne Myrdal said the free meals “advance us towards socialism.”
https://x.com/GOP__Ls/status/2097731879143100732
Citizens for Ethics
@CREWcrew
One arm of a Dubai developer paid Donald Trump $12.5 million while the other arm sought to build data centers in the U.S.
This is the kind of thing we’re talking about when we say Trump’s foreign developments raise real corruption concerns.
https://x.com/CREWcrew/status/2097520576378126838
Good Morning, Everyone😊😊😊