HANOI, Vietnam — French President Emmanuel Macron was caught in a moment of unexpected tension Sunday evening when his wife, Brigitte Macron, appeared to shove him in the face as they disembarked from their official aircraft at Hanoi’s international airport.
The viral clip, captured live by the Associated Press, shows Macron standing in the doorway of the plane, looking sternly at his wife, moments before Brigitte’s hands abruptly rise and make contact with his face in what appeared to be a light shove or slap. Seconds later, Macron quickly notices the plane doors have opened and turns to wave at awaiting cameras. The couple then descended the staircase together, though Brigitte appeared to bypass his outstretched arm, instead holding the handrail as they walked.
The video sparked a storm of speculation online, with some suggesting the couple had been “bickering” moments before stepping into public view. Although the Elysée Palace initially dismissed the footage as fake, French media outlets have since confirmed its authenticity.
A source close to the president told BFMTV that the interaction was “a moment of complicity” between the couple, adding it was “a bit of fun” before the official visit began and not an indication of serious conflict. Still, the odd public exchange added fuel to long-standing online conspiracy theories that have targeted the French president.
Macron, 46, who began a week-long diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia with this stop in Vietnam, will also visit Indonesia and Singapore. The trip is aimed at strengthening France’s political and economic ties in the region amid rising global tensions.
The French leader has been a repeated target of conspiracy theories and deepfakes, particularly by pro-Russian social media accounts. In recent months, Macron has faced false claims, including the debunked assertion that his wife Brigitte was born a man, as well as a fabricated video suggesting he was carrying cocaine during a train trip to Kyiv with UK Labour leader Keir Starmer and Germany’s Friedrich Merz.
Macron has publicly denounced these online attacks as “misogynistic” and politically motivated, with the French government increasingly concerned about disinformation campaigns targeting high-level officials.
Despite the dramatic arrival and viral clip, the French president is expected to proceed with his Southeast Asia engagements, focusing on defense cooperation, trade, and climate partnerships throughout the week.
Source: the-sun.com
