A video has sparked significant discussion on social media, featuring French President Emmanuel Macron seemingly receiving a “surprise push to the face” from his wife Brigitte as they exited the presidential plane upon their arrival in Hanoi, Vietnam, kicking off a week-long tour of Asia.
The footage, captured by the Associated Press on Sunday evening, shows the airplane door opening to reveal President Macron, followed by Brigitte’s hand appearing from the left side of the door, pushing his face backward. Although the president briefly displayed a surprised expression, he quickly regained his composure and waved to those gathered below the aircraft, according to the Daily Mail.
In a subsequent scene, the couple descended the stairs to a formal welcome from Vietnamese officials; however, Brigitte chose to hold onto the handrail instead of taking her husband’s outstretched arm.
Initially, the French presidency attempted to deny the authenticity of the video, but later confirmed it, downplaying the incident as a “light moment between two spouses who enjoy joking around.”
A source from the Élysée Palace stated to French media, “There was no argument, just a playful moment before their busy schedule,” adding, “It was a moment of closeness, and there’s no reason to exaggerate it.” Another associate of the president indicated that the video had been exploited by pro-Russian accounts aiming to stir controversy and fuel conspiracy theories about Macron, who has been a prominent supporter of Ukraine since the conflict began in 2022.
This controversy arises as Macron seeks to strengthen France’s influence in Southeast Asia through a visit encompassing Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore, presenting France as a stable alternative to both the United States and China in the region.
Macron’s visit to Vietnam is particularly noteworthy, being the first by a French president in nearly a decade. Vietnam is currently navigating economic and trade challenges while balancing its relationships with major powers.
Recently, Hanoi made concessions to Washington during trade negotiations to avoid American tariffs of up to 46%, raising concerns in Brussels that this may impact European exports.
During a press conference with his Vietnamese counterpart, Macron called for the preservation of a rule-based international order, emphasizing that the world is undergoing disturbances and rising power-based policies.
Earlier this month, the French presidency vehemently denied online rumors alleging that Macron was hiding a bag of cocaine during his trip with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German opposition leader Friedrich Merz to Ukraine. The Élysée dismissed those claims as “false news,” asserting that the white object in the photograph was merely a paper napkin.
In a sharp retort, the French presidency shared a photo of the napkin with the caption: “This is a napkin… used for cleaning. When the unity of Europe becomes uncomfortable for some, they turn the napkin into a drug bag.”
Paris accuses the Kremlin of orchestrating these media campaigns as part of a systematic effort to undermine European support for Ukraine and influence the trajectory of political negotiations.