A video of French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron has gone viral, capturing what appears to be a tense and awkward moment as the couple arrived in Vietnam for a diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia.
As the presidential plane touched down in Hanoi and the doors opened, cameras captured President Macron standing at the threshold, sternly addressing his wife. Within seconds, Brigitte raises both hands to his face in what appears to be a light shove or swat. The moment was unexpected and quickly drew attention online.
Macron, visibly surprised, swiftly regains composure and waves to the gathered press at the foot of the stairs. He then extends his arm toward Brigitte as they prepare to disembark. She, however, opts to grasp the handrail instead—fueling further speculation about an off-camera disagreement.
Social Media Reacts
The viral clip triggered a wave of reactions:
- “Actually concerning—where this is done in public, imagine what happens behind closed doors…” one user commented.
- “That’s weird,” wrote another.
- “I think she was trying to clean something on his nose,” speculated a third.
Élysée Palace Responds
Initially, the Élysée Palace dismissed the footage as fake. However, French media, including The Sun, confirmed the video’s authenticity. The Associated Press’s live stream also captured the same footage, validating its legitimacy.
An anonymous source close to the president told BFMTV the couple was simply “bickering” in a lighthearted manner. “It was a moment when the president and his wife were unwinding one last time before the start of the trip by having a little fun,” the insider said.
The source further called the moment a display of “complicity,” dismissing attempts to turn the clip into political fodder—particularly from Russian outlets accused of spreading conspiracy theories about the French leader.
Macron and Online Conspiracies
This isn’t the first time President Macron has been caught in the whirlwind of internet speculation. In the past, he has faced bizarre and false rumors—including claims that his wife Brigitte was born male, a narrative Macron denounced as a sexist and malicious attack.
Macron, who began dating Brigitte—his former high school teacher—when he was 15, is now on a weeklong diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia, with additional stops in Singapore and Indonesia.