PARIS (AP) — After months of pressure, the Louvre has a new director.
Christophe Leribault was named to lead the landmark on Wednesday, half a day after the resignation of previous director Laurence des Cars. The leadership change at the world’s most-visited museum comes after the October crown jewels heist and a string of failures that battered confidence in one of the country’s most prized institutions.
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People queue to enter the Louvre museum in Paris, Wednesday Feb. 25. 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
FILE - Laurence des Cars, director of Le Louvre museum, poses before a hearing at the Culture commission of the Senate, three days after historic jewels were stolen in a daring daylight heist, Oct. 22, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva, File)
FILE Christophe Leribault, head of the Charteau de Versailles, poses March 29, 2024 in the park of the Chateau de Versailles, west of Paris. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File)
People queue to enter the Louvre museum in Paris, Wednesday Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
The french flag flutters on the Louvre museum in Paris, Wednesday Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
The rapid handover is meant to restore order at a museum hit by a punishing run of crises: the heist, labor unrest, water leaks, aging infrastructure and a suspected, decade-long $12 million ticket fraud scheme.
It also protects a politically loaded project for President Emmanuel Macron, who has made the Louvre overhaul a signature cultural legacy plan as he eyes the end of his term next year.
The government cast Leribault, a veteran museum director, as the steady hand for a battered institution, with responsibility for both the Louvre’s security overhaul and its modernization.
An 18th-century specialist trained at the École du Louvre, Leribault has led France’s biggest museums, including the Petit Palais and the Musée d’Orsay.
He most recently ran Versailles, one of France’s biggest heritage sites, with heavy visitor traffic and an annual budget of about 170 million euros ($200 million).
His résumé makes him a crisis-era choice: a curator-administrator shaped by France’s museum system and used to public scrutiny, large crowds and the mechanics of state cultural power.
Des Cars was not just any museum chief. Appointed in 2021, she became the first woman to lead the Louvre — a symbolic break at a palace built for kings.
For many in France’s cultural world, her departure finally answered the question that had hung over the Louvre since the heist: How could a breach of that scale happen at one of the country’s most symbolic institutions and no top official fall?
Macron’s office accepted her resignation as an “act of responsibility,” while saying the museum now needs calm and fresh momentum for security and modernization projects.
On Tuesday, she told Le Figaro that she had become a lightning rod and could no longer carry out the museum’s transformation in the same institutional climate.
The 88 million-euro ($102 million) jewels heist was the trigger, but not the whole story.
Labor unrest, leaks, aging infrastructure and a separate ticket-fraud scandal had already left the Louvre looking, in Paris and beyond, like a famous institution losing control of the basics.
A wildcat strike in June stranded visitors outside the pyramid and laid bare worker anger over overcrowding, understaffing and other conditions.
In a rare interview with The Associated Press just days before des Cars’ resignation, the Louvre’s No. 2, general administrator Kim Pham, called fraud at a museum of this scale “statistically inevitable,” while also acknowledging shortcomings and saying controls had been tightened.
He cited the scale: 86,000 square meters, 35,000 works on display and about 9 million visitors a year.
Privately, Louvre officials and others in France’s museum world make a blunter point: Old stone buildings leak.
The Louvre is that problem multiplied by a thousand — a medieval-to-modern palace complex in the middle of a dense capital, not a contained site on the outskirts.
Pham made that argument in more diplomatic terms, describing the Louvre as a historic building with “many historical layers” dating back to the start of the 13th century.
The Louvre sits in central Paris, with tourist pressure, traffic, multiple access points and the daily wear that comes with being both monument and mass destination.
As Macron heads toward the end of his time in office — his final term ends next year — the Louvre overhaul has become his signature cultural project — his version of the big museum-and-monument gambles French presidents are often remembered for.
He announced the “Louvre New Renaissance” plan in January 2025, a project now expected to cost about 1.15 billion euros ($1.36 billion), according to the French state auditors.
It includes a new entrance near the Seine, new underground spaces, and a dedicated room for the “Mona Lisa” with timed access to ease the crush around the painting and improve visitor flow.
In France, presidents are often linked to major cultural works — Georges Pompidou with the Centre Pompidou, François Mitterrand with the national library, Jacques Chirac with the Quai Branly museum.
The Louvre is Macron’s project on that scale.
That is one reason some in France’s cultural world openly speculated why des Cars did not leave in October, right after the heist, even after offering her resignation: Macron had so much riding on the Louvre plan that an immediate departure risked making his flagship cultural project look like it was collapsing.
A key question is how far the museum has come in fortifying its security, and the answer is: not far enough or fast enough.
Findings of the French state auditor said the Louvre’s security overhaul is not expected to be completed until 2032, according to French media reports. The reports say that as of 2024, less than 40% of the museum rooms were equipped with cameras.
There have been concrete moves since the theft. Extra measures, including anti-intrusion devices and anti-vehicle barriers, were put in place by the end of 2025.
Des Cars also told lawmakers in November that the Louvre would install 100 external cameras by the end of 2026 and tighten coordination with police, including a police station within the Louvre estate.
People queue to enter the Louvre museum in Paris, Wednesday Feb. 25. 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
FILE - Laurence des Cars, director of Le Louvre museum, poses before a hearing at the Culture commission of the Senate, three days after historic jewels were stolen in a daring daylight heist, Oct. 22, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva, File)
FILE Christophe Leribault, head of the Charteau de Versailles, poses March 29, 2024 in the park of the Chateau de Versailles, west of Paris. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File)
People queue to enter the Louvre museum in Paris, Wednesday Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
The french flag flutters on the Louvre museum in Paris, Wednesday Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
Iran pushed back Wednesday against U.S. President Donald Trump’s pressure tactics ahead of critical talks in Geneva over Tehran’s nuclear program, alternating between calling his remarks “big lies” to saying negotiations may yield an agreement through “honorable diplomacy.”
The remarks by two Iranian officials ahead of Thursday’s talks come as America has assembled its biggest deployment of aircraft and warships to the Middle East in decades, part of Trump’s efforts to get a deal while Iran struggles at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests last month.
If the negotiations fail, Trump repeatedly has threatened to attack Iran — something Mideast nations fear could spiral into a new regional war.
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“I’m sure that Vladimir Putin has his military objectives and obviously he hasn’t stopped the killing, even though the president wants that very much to happen, but the best way to solve this is to continue to engage in diplomacy,” the vice president said on Fox News Channel on Wednesday morning.
Vance noted that this is the directive Trump has given his administration, but that “we’re under no illusions that these guys are going to meet in the middle of a field, give each other a hug and sing Kumbaya.”
The vice president said in an interview with Fox News Channel that the goal from the U.S. perspective has been “crystal clear” and it’s that Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon.
He said Trump prefers settling the matter using diplomacy but will unleash the U.S. military against Iran, if necessary, and that “most Americans understand that you can’t let the craziest and the worst regime in the world have nuclear weapons.”
Another round of talks between the U.S. and Iran are set for Thursday in Geneva.
“We’re sitting down having another round of diplomatic talks with the Iranians trying to reach a reasonable settlement, but a reasonable settlement toward what end: Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon. It’s very simple,” Vance said. “I think the supreme leader and everybody in their system should understand it. We’ve been crystal clear and we’re hopeful that we’re able to come to a good resolution without the military, but if we have to use the military, the president, of course, has that right as well.”
Top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees want Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to provide more details about a top-secret complaint alleging she withheld classified material for political reasons.
In a letter sent to Gabbard on Wednesday, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia and Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut also direct Gabbard to allow the intelligence officer who filed the complaint to meet with lawmakers.
Gabbard has said she did nothing wrong and said she did all she could to ensure the complaint reached Congress. Two inspectors general for the intelligence community reviewed the claim that Gabbard restricted access to top secret material and found it to be noncredible.
Democrats have questioned why it took eight months for the complaint to reach Congress and say heavy redactions make it hard to understand the details of the complaint.
Gabbard’s office did not immediately respond to the lawmakers’ letter.
Trump gave his vice president a new job in the State of the Union address Tuesday night: leading what he called the “war on fraud.”
Vance said the Treasury Department will be looking at income tax records to try to uncover fraud, telling Fox News Channel “there’s a whole host of tools that we have never used.”
The Justice Department will also be involved, Vance said.
Wellness influencer, author and entrepreneur Dr. Casey Means on Wednesday was facing senators for her confirmation hearing to become the nation’s next surgeon general, a platform she said she would use to promote efforts to end chronic disease by addressing its root causes, including through dietary and lifestyle changes.
“Our nation is angry, exhausted, and hurting from preventable diseases,” the 38-year-old said during her opening remarks in Washington before the Senate health committee. “Public health leaders must address the evidence-based, modifiable drivers of chronic diseases, which include ultraprocessed foods, industrial chemical exposure, lack of physical activity, chronic stress and loneliness, and overmedicalization.”
She’s expected to face tough questions about her qualifications and potential conflicts. The Stanford-educated physician’s disillusionment with traditional medicine drove her to a career in which she’s promoted a wide range of products, at times without disclosing how she could benefit financially.
“I have very serious questions about the ability of Dr. Means to be the kind of surgeon general this country needs,” Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, the ranking member of the Senate health committee, said Wednesday.
President Trump called Sheinbaum after Mexico’s military killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel to ask how things were in Mexico.
Sheinbaum described Monday’s brief call with Trump during her daily news briefing Wednesday. “I told him what the operation was like, that we had had intelligence help from the United States government, that the coordination was very good.”
Sara Carter, director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, and U.S. Ambassador Ron Johnson met with Sheinbaum’s security team Tuesday to congratulate them on the operation.
More than 70 people died in the operation and the violence that erupted after.
The Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team visited President Trump at the White House on Tuesday afternoon and later received about a two-minute bipartisan standing ovation during his State of the Union address that night.
Trump also announced that the women’s hockey team, which also defeated Canada to win gold, will “soon” visit the White House. The women’s team had declined an invitation to attend the State of the Union due to the timing of the address.
Men’s players entered the House chamber through two sets of doors and walked down the rows of the press gallery. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle not only stood and cheered but chanted “USA!” several times, many even pumping fists.
“I want to thank you all,” Trump told the players. “What a special job you did. What special champions you are.”
Trump also said goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who stopped 41 shots in the gold medal game, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Hellebuyck tapped his heart as those in the chamber applauded.
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The Ukrainian delegation will meet with President Trump’s envoys in the run-up to another round of trilateral talks with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday.
Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary, is due to hold talks with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Thursday in Geneva, Zelenskyy told reporters.
A U.S. push for peace has already brought Russia and Ukraine to the table in Abu Dhabi and Geneva this year, but the talks have produced no breakthrough on bridging key differences as Russia’s invasion of its neighbor enters its fifth year.
Thursday’s meeting will address details of a possible postwar recovery plan for Ukraine and discuss preparations for an upcoming trilateral meeting with Moscow officials, Zelenskyy said, adding that he has also tasked Umerov with discussing a possible prisoner exchange.
Ukraine expects the U.S.-brokered talks with Russia to take place next week, Zelenskyy said.
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Vance will deliver remarks “celebrating the Trump administration’s accomplishments” following Trump’s nationally televised address Tuesday night. The vice president’s office said he’ll do so at a to-be-named machining facility in Plover, Wisconsin, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Milwaukee.
High-level administration officials typically fan out across the country after the speech to promote the president’s message and policies. Trump himself won’t hit the road until Friday, when he heads to Texas to talk about the economy and energy policies days before the state’s March 3 congressional primaries.
This will be Vance’s second visit to swing-state Wisconsin as vice president. He was last in the state in August, when he promoted Trump’s tax breaks and spending cuts law in the western Wisconsin city of La Crosse.
Trump narrowly won the state in the 2024 presidential election after Wisconsin narrowly voted for Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.
The U.S. hasn’t made clear the aims of possible military action. If the goal is to pressure Iran to make concessions in nuclear negotiations, it’s not clear whether limited strikes will work. If the goal is to remove Iran’s leaders, that will likely commit the U.S. to a more massive, longer military campaign. There has been no public sign of planning for what would come next, including the potential for chaos in Iran.
The status of Iran’s nuclear program is another mystery. Trump earlier said American strikes “obliterated” it. Now, dismantling whatever remains of the program appears to be back on the administration’s agenda. IAEA inspectors haven’t been allowed to inspect those sites and verify what remains.
There’s also uncertainty about what any military action could mean for the wider region. Tehran could retaliate against the American-allied nations of the Persian Gulf or Israel. Oil prices have risen in recent days in part due to those concerns.
Futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average each rose 0.3% before the opening bell, while Nasdaq futures climbed 0.5%.
In his speech Tuesday night, Trump focused on jobs, manufacturing and an economy he says is stronger than many Americans believe. He didn’t dwell on efforts to lower the cost of living — despite polling showing that his handling of the economy and kitchen-table issues has increasingly become a liability.
Investors are closely watching for an earnings report due later in the day from chipmaking giant Nvidia. The quarterly report is likely to sway a jittery stock market as investors weigh whether the massive bets riding on technology’s latest craze will pay off.
As has been the case since Nvidia’s chipsets emerged as AI’s best building blocks, the expectations are sky-high for the results covering the company’s fiscal quarter, covering November through January.
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Dr. Casey Means, a wellness influencer, author and entrepreneur aligned with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his Make America Healthy Again movement, will appear before the Senate health committee Wednesday as she seeks approval to be the nation’s surgeon general.
The Washington confirmation hearing was rescheduled from last October, when Means went into labor the day she was set to appear. It will give the 38-year-old nominee an opportunity to share her vision for ending chronic disease by addressing its root causes, including through dietary and lifestyle changes. It’s a message that dovetails with that of the nation’s health department, which has shifted its focus away from its controversial vaccine policy changes and toward healthy eating as the midterm elections approach.
But Means also will likely face tough questions about her qualifications and potential conflicts. The Stanford-educated physician’s disillusionment with traditional medicine drove her to a career in which she has promoted a wide range of products, at times without disclosing how she could benefit financially.
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The CIA offered help to potential informants in Iran on Tuesday, providing Farsi-language instructions on ways to contact the U.S. spy agency safely.
The post is the latest in a series of recruitment pitches in Farsi, Korean, Russian and Mandarin that offered secure ways to contact the CIA. The Farsi-language message posted Tuesday to X, Instagram and YouTube, however, comes at an especially uneasy time in U.S.-Iran relations and as the Iranian theocracy faces new protests at home.
In a sign of new unrest in Iran, students held anti-government protests at universities in Tehran on Monday.
“Hello. The Central Intelligence Agency hears you and wants to help,” the agency wrote in the message, according to an English translation. “Here are some tips on how to make a secure virtual call with us.”
The Farsi-language post racked up millions of views within just a few hours.
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Trump’s address on Tuesday was a declaration of pride in the achievements of his still-young second term, as he boasted of an economic renaissance at home while he’s imposed a new world order abroad. Trump is getting his first opportunity to test drive that midterm year message later this week, when he travels to Texas, where the Latino voters whose shift toward Trump in his successful 2024 reelection campaign highlighted how he had reshaped the Republican coalition.
The White House is aiming to promote that message to a broader electorate that is largely disenchanted with Trump’s job performance, while a looming conflict in the Middle East threatens to shift focus away from his domestic priorities.
Still, the themes of economic prosperity and a more secure America that Trump emphasized in his 108-minute speech Tuesday night will underpin the broader narrative that he and his fellow Republicans will seek to sell to voters this November.
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The Pentagon is building up the largest force of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades, including two aircraft carrier strike groups, as President Donald Trump warns of possible military action against Iran if talks over its nuclear program fall apart.
“It’s proven to be, over the years, not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran, and we have to make a meaningful deal,” Trump said last week. “Otherwise bad things happen.”
Trump likely will have a host of military options, which could include surgical attacks on Iran’s air defenses or strikes focused on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, experts say. But they warn that Iran could retaliate in ways it hadn’t following attacks last year by the U.S. or Israel, potentially risking American lives and sparking a regional war.
“It will be very hard for the Trump administration to do a one-and-done kind of attack in Iran this time around,” said Ali Vaez, an Iran expert at the International Crisis Group. “Because the Iranians would respond in a way that would make all-out conflict inevitable.”
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Iran pushed back Wednesday against U.S. President Donald Trump’s pressure tactics ahead of critical talks in Geneva over Tehran’s nuclear program, alternating between calling his remarks “big lies” to saying negotiations may yield an agreement through “honorable diplomacy.”
The remarks by two Iranian officials ahead of Thursday’s talks come as America has assembled its biggest deployment of aircraft and warships to the Middle East in decades, part of Trump’s efforts to get a deal while Iran struggles at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests last month.
If the negotiations fail, Trump repeatedly has threatened to attack Iran — something Mideast nations fear could spiral into a new regional war as the embers of the yearslong Israel-Hamas war still smolder. Already, Iran has said all U.S. military bases in the Mideast would be considered legitimate targets, putting at risk the tens of thousands of American service members in the region.
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President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
