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The Louvre, the worlds most-visited museum and a global symbol of art, beauty and endurance, has withstood war, terror, and pandemicbut on Monday, it was brought to a halt by its own staff, who say the institution is crumbling under the weight of mass tourism. It was an almost unthinkable sight: the home to works by Leonardo da Vinci and millennia of civilizations greatest treasuresparalyzed in a strike by the very people tasked with welcoming the world to its galleries. Thousands of stranded and confused visitors, tickets in hand, were corralled into unmoving lines beneath I.M. Pei’s glass pyramid. Its the Mona Lisa moan out here, said Kevin Ward, 62, from Milwaukee. Thousands of people waiting, no communication, no explanation. I guess even she needs a day off. The Louvre has become a symbol of tourism pushed to its limits. As hotspots from Venice to the Acropolis race to curb crowds, the worlds most iconic museum, visited by millions, is hitting a breaking point of its own. Just a day earlier, coordinated anti-tourism protests swept across southern Europe. Thousands rallied in Mallorca, Venice, Lisbon, and beyond, denouncing an economic model they say displaces locals and erodes city life. In Barcelona, activists sprayed tourists with water pistolsa theatrical bid to cool down runaway tourism. The Louvre’s spontaneous strike erupted during a routine internal meeting, as gallery attendants, ticket agents, and security personnel refused to take up their posts in protest over unmanageable crowds, chronic understaffing, and what one union called untenable working conditions. Its rare for the Louvre to close its doors. It has happened during war, during the pandemic, and in a handful of strikesincluding spontaneous walkouts over overcrowding in 2019 and safety fears in 2013. But seldom has it happened so suddenly, without warning, and in full view of the crowds. What’s more, the disruption comes just months after President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a sweeping decade-long plan to rescue the Louvre from precisely the problems now boiling overwater leaks, dangerous temperature swings, outdated infrastructure, and foot traffic far beyond what the museum can handle. But for workers on the ground, that promised future feels distant. We cant wait six years for help, said Sarah Sefian of the CGT-Culture union. Our teams are under pressure now. Its not just about the artits about the people protecting it. The Mona Lisas daily mob At the center of it all is the Mona Lisaa 16th-century portrait that draws modern-day crowds more akin to a celebrity meet-and-greet than an art experience. Roughly 20,000 people a day squeeze into the Salle des États, the museums largest room, just to snap a selfie with Leonardo da Vincis enigmatic woman behind protective glass. The scene is often noisy, jostling, and so dense that many barely glance at the masterpieces flanking herworks by Titian and Veronese that go largely ignored. You dont see a painting, said Ji-Hyun Park, 28, who flew from Seoul to Paris. You see phones. You see elbows. You feel heat. And then, youre pushed out. Macrons renovation blueprint, dubbed the Louvre New Renaissance, promises a remedy. The Mona Lisa will finally get her own dedicated room, accessible through a timed-entry ticket. A new entrance near the Seine River is also planned by 2031 to relieve pressure from the overwhelmed pyramid hub. Conditions of display, explanation, and presentation will be up to what the Mona Lisa deserves, Macron said in January. But Louvre workers call Macron hypocritical and say the 700800 million million renovation plan masks a deeper crisis. While Macron is investing in new entrances and exhibition space, the Louvres annual operating subsidies from the French state have shrunk by more than 20% over the past decadeeven as visitor numbers soared. We take it very badly that Monsieur Le President makes his speeches here in our museum, Sefian said, but when you scratch the surface, the financial investment of the state is getting worse with each passing year. While many striking staff plan to remain off duty all day, Sefian said some workers may return temporarily to open a limited masterpiece route for a couple of hours, allowing access to select highlights including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. The full museum might reopen as normal on Wednesday, and some tourists with time-sensitive tickets for Monday may be allowed to reuse them then. On Tuesday the Louvre is closed. A museum in limbo The Louvre welcomed 8.7 million visitors last yearmore than double what its infrastructure was designed to accommodate. Even with a daily cap of 30,000, staff say the experience has become a daily test of endurance, with too few rest areas, limited bathrooms, and summer heat magnified by the pyramids greenhouse effect. In a leaked memo, Louvre President Laurence des Cars warned that parts of the building are no longer watertight, that temperature fluctuations endanger priceless art, and that even basic visitor needsfood, restrooms, signagefall far below international standards. She described the experience simply as a physical ordeal. What began as a scheduled monthly information session turned into a mass expression of exasperation, Sefian said. Talks between workers and management began at 10:30 a.m. and continued into the afternoon. The full renovation plan is expected to be financed through ticket revenue, private donations, state funds, and licensing fees from the Louvres Abu Dhabi branch. Ticket prices for non-EU tourists are expected to rise later this year. But workers say their needs are more urgent than any 10-year plan. Unlike other major sites in Paris, such as Notre Dame cathedral or the Centre Pompidou museum, both of which are undergoing government-backed restorations, the Louvre remains stuck in limboneither fully funded nor fully functional. President Macron, who delivered his 2017 election victory speech at the Louvre and showcased it during the 2024 Paris Olympics, has promised a safer, more modern museum by the end of the decade. Until then, Frances greatest cultural treasureand the millions who flock to see itremain caught between the cracks. Thomas Adamson, AP culture writer Associated Press journalist Laurie Kellman in Paris contributed to this report
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For years, President Trump has had a famous affinity for his personal cell phone. Hes been known to rely on the device to contact world leaders, arrange business deals, and answer calls from a flurry of daily unknown numbers often in spite of potential security threats. Early this month, The Atlantic called him the ultimate Phone Guy in an article detailing his aides concerns around his phone use. Now, The Trump Organization appears to be spinning Trumps Phone Guy reputation into yet another business venture: a mobile service and smartphone brand called Trump Mobile. According to a press release published Monday, Trump Mobilealso known as T1 Mobileis a new cellular service designed to deliver top-tier connectivity, unbeatable value and all-American service. The release notes that the brand will provide 5G service through all three major cellular carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon). Its flagship offering, The 47 Plan, costs $47.75 per month and includes features like roadside assistance, unlimited data, and telehealth services. Alongside the cellular plan, Trump Mobile is debuting a $499 gold smartphone called the T1 Phone, slated for release this fall. Gold all the way down Customers can sign up for the brands cellular service plan and pre-order the upcoming Trump-branded phone on the Trump Mobile website. The site itself features an ultra-simple, almost bare-bones designincluding a blocky, all-caps sans-serif font, gold accents, and several stock images of smiling customers. Along a similar vein, available renderings of the T1 Phone include a mocked-up home screen with the slogan Make America Great Again rendered beneath a Trump Mobile logo, as well as the back of the phone, which is embossed with an image of the American flag and the T1 symbol. The phones operating system is an Android 15. While it’s unclear exactly how the phones gold hue has been achieved, the look echoes an emerging design theme from Trumps second term. In 2004, Trump told reporters that the reign of Louis XIV represented his favorite style, and since taking office this January, echoes of that gilded inspiration have appeared in several places around the President. In the Oval Office itself, Trump has implemented a slew of gold decor. Last month, he accepted a luxury jet from Qatar thats decked out in gold furniture. And last week, Trump debuted a physical gold card visa scheme as a dubious way to allow wealthy immigrants into the U.S. Now, the T1 Phone, like the countless other pieces of Trump merch before it, will serve as a piece of walking advertising for the President’s personal brand. Blurred lines between office and profit The Trump Organizations new phone business is the most recent in a large existing catalog of licensing deals and branded-merch agreements that rely on the Presidents likenessfrom guitars and Bibles, to watches, sneakers, and fragrances. According to a financial disclosure form filed last Friday, these income streams represented more than $8 million in profits for the President in 2024. In order to avoid potential conflicts of interest, The Trump Organization (which manages the majority of Trumps business ventures) reported ahead of Trumps inauguration that control of the company would be given to his children for the duration of his term. Based on the press release, Trump Mobile will be spearheaded by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. And, because the brand uses the Trump name through a trademark license, its website notes that its products and services are not designed, developed, manufactured, distributed or sold by The Trump Organization or any of their respective affiliates or principals. Still, experts say there are still plenty of ethical concerns around Trumps business ventures. This term, Trump stands to profit from holdings in cryptocurrency, real estate, social media, and consumer products, all of which are bolstered by his status as President. In an interview with Reuters, Paolo Pescatore, TMT analyst at PP Foresight, explained that this new cellular business presents new questions, given that Trump Mobiles actual commercial relationship with telecom players is unclear. In a series of interviews this morning, Trumps sons indicated that Trump Mobile phones would be American-made, with a call center located in St. Louis, Missouri. This emphasis on American manufacturing, echoed on the website, comes in the wake of Trumps sweeping tariffs, which has put phone manufacturing in its crosshairs, given that most phones (and phone components) purchased in the U.S. are made in China, Vietnam, South Korea, and India. Trump Mobile did not immediately respond to Fast Companys request for clarification on the phones manufacturers, designers, and distributors. “No one who has been paying attention could miss that President Trump considers the presidency a vehicle to grow his family’s wealth, Lawrence Lessig, a law professor at Harvard Law School, told Reuters of Trump Mobile. Maybe this example will help more come to see this undeniable truth.
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Leaders from the Group of Seven nations began annual talks on Monday with wars escalating in Ukraine and the Middle East, as U.S. President Donald Trump said removing Russia from the former Group of Eight was a mistake. The G7 leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the U.S., along with the European Union, are convening in the resort area of Kananaskis in the Canadian Rockies until Tuesday. With an escalating Israel-Iran conflict, the summit in Canada is seen as a vital moment to try to restore a semblance of unity among democratic powerhouses. In an early sign that they may struggle to reach agreement on key issues, a U.S. official said Trump would not sign a draft statement calling for de-escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict. Speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump said kicking Russia out of the former Group of Eight was a mistake. Members removed Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea. “This was a big mistake,” Trump said. “You wouldn’t have that war. You know you have your enemy at the table, I don’t even consider, he wasn’t really an enemy at that time.” Canada has abandoned any effort to adopt a comprehensive communique to avert a repeat of the 2018 summit in Quebec, when Trump instructed the U.S. delegation to withdraw its approval of the final communique after leaving. Leaders have prepared several other draft documents seen by Reuters, including on migration, artificial intelligence, and critical mineral supply chains. None of them have been approved by the United States, however, according to sources briefed on the documents. Europeans are on the same page on most issues, a European diplomat said. But without Trump, it is unclear if there will be any declarations, the diplomat said. The first five months of Trump’s second term upended foreign policy on Ukraine, raised anxiety over his closer ties to Russia, and resulted in tariffs on U.S. allies. Talks on Monday will centre around the economy, advancing trade deals, and China. Efforts to reach an agreement to lower the G7 price cap on Russian oil, even if Trump decided to opt out, were complicated by a temporary surge in oil prices since Israel launched strikes on Iran on June 12, two diplomatic sources said. Oil prices fell on Monday on reports Iran was seeking a truce. The escalation between the two regional foes is high on the agenda, with diplomatic sources saying they hope to urge restraint and a return to diplomacy and would encourage Trump to sign a declaration. “I do think there’s a consensus for de-escalation. Obviously, what we need to do today is to bring that together and to be clear about how it is to be brought about,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters. Russian elephant in the room Further highlighting the unease among some of Washington’s allies, Trump spoke on Saturday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested the Russian leader could play a mediation role between Israel and Iran. French President Emmanuel Macron dismissed the idea, arguing that Moscow could not be a negotiator because it had started an illegal war against Ukraine. A European diplomat said Trump’s suggestion showed that Russia was very much on U.S. minds. “In the eyes of the U.S., there’s no condemnation for Ukraine; no peace without Russia; and now even credit for its mediation role with Iran. For Europeans, this will be a really tough G7,” the diplomat said. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will attend the summit on Tuesday. European officials said they hoped to use the meeting and next week’s NATO summit to convince Trump to toughen his stance on Putin. “The G7 should have the objective for us to converge again, for Ukraine to get a ceasefire to lead to a robust and lasting peace, and in my view it’s a question of seeing whether President Trump is ready to put forward much tougher sanctions on Russia,” Macron said. By David Ljunggren, John Irish and Jarrett Renshaw, Reuters Additional reporting by Suzanne Plunket.
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