French President Emmanuel Macron has denied rumours of a domestic spat with his wife, Brigitte Macron, after a viral video appeared to show her pushing his face as they arrived in Vietnam for a diplomatic tour. Speaking to reporters in Hanoi on Monday, Macron dismissed the claims, stating, “We were just joking, as we often do.”
The video, shot by the Associated Press, captured the moment on Sunday evening when the presidential aircraft’s doors opened at Hanoi airport. Macron stood at the entrance, facing Brigitte, whose hands suddenly appeared from the left and were seen pushing his face aside. The President looked momentarily surprised but quickly regained composure and waved at photographers.
Watch the video here:
Macron Reacts to Conspiracy Claims
Addressing the media, Macron also pushed back against other viral footage circulating online. He noted that one video falsely suggested he was seen with cocaine, and another wrongly claimed he was confronting Turkish President Erdoğan. “None of this is true,” Macron emphasized. “Everyone needs to calm down.”
Initially, the President’s office questioned the authenticity of the footage, but later confirmed the clip as genuine.
Sources Describe the Moment as Harmless
A close aide to the President referred to the moment as a “squabble” between the couple, downplaying any tension. Another member of the presidential entourage added context, saying, “It was a moment when the president and his wife were decompressing one last time before the start of the trip by joking around.”
“It’s a moment of togetherness. No more was needed to feed the mills of the conspiracy theorists,” the source noted, pointing fingers at pro-Russian online accounts for amplifying negativity around the video.
Body Language Fuels Online Speculation
While Brigitte Macron’s face remained out of view during the brief encounter, her actions triggered massive online reactions, particularly from accounts critical of the French President. As the couple descended the staircase for the official welcome, Brigitte notably did not take Macron’s offered arm—another detail internet users dissected.
Despite the online frenzy, the French First Couple has continued with their Southeast Asia tour, with President Macron focusing on securing diplomatic and trade deals during his Vietnam visit.
