The French presidency faced a wave of social media controversy after a video emerged showing President Emmanuel Macron’s face being abruptly pushed aside by his wife, Brigitte Macron, as the couple arrived in Vietnam to begin their official Southeast Asia visit.
The footage captures President Macron standing in the vestibule near the boarding gate, engaged in conversation with Brigitte, who remains inside the aircraft cabin while security officials open the gate. Suddenly, Brigitte’s arm extends through the doorway, forcefully shoving the President’s face to the side in a gesture that appears aggressive. A crew member, who was about to board the plane, notices the action and immediately steps back.
Though initially startled by the unexpected gesture, President Macron quickly regains his composure upon realising that the boarding gate has opened and a camera is trained directly on him. He responds by smiling and raising his right arm to wave at the camera, while his left hand grips a handle beside the gateway for support.
Following this, the video shows the President and the First Lady disembarking from the aircraft and stepping onto the ramp. Macron, who is slightly ahead, offers his arm to Brigitte to assist her as they descend toward the red carpet on the tarmac. However, the First Lady, with a serious expression, declines his gesture and instead holds onto the railing of the steps while descending.
The video, shot by an Associated Press video journalist, shows President Macron dressed in a navy-blue suit, white shirt, and black tie, while Brigitte wears a black shirt and trousers paired with a red formal jacket.
Initial denial and attempts to downplay the incident
As the clip quickly went viral across social media platforms, the French presidency initially dismissed the video and denied its authenticity. However, it was soon confirmed to be genuine. Various social media users, including some media outlets known to be critical of the French President, widely shared the clip, describing the First Lady’s action as a “slap” or “smack.”
While Macron’s startled reaction gives the impression of an aggressive encounter, the video does not reveal Brigitte’s facial expression or body language clearly enough to determine whether the exchange was a heated scuffle or a more playful moment.
When questioned by reporters in Hanoi about the incident, President Macron downplayed the seriousness, stating, “We were just joking, as we often do.”
Describing It as a “Harmless Squabble”
Following the public reaction, a close associate of President Macron told the news agency AFP that the incident was merely a “couple’s harmless squabble.” Another member of the President’s entourage described it as a lighthearted moment, 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.”
The source further added, “It’s a moment of togetherness. No more was needed to feed the mills of the conspiracy theorists.” President Macron is currently on a week-long official tour of Southeast Asia, with Vietnam as his first destination. His itinerary also includes visits to Indonesia and Singapore later this week.
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