French President Emmanuel Macron has laughed off speculation about a tense moment with his wife Brigitte after a viral video showed the First Lady appearing to push his face upon their arrival in Hanoi for an official visit to Vietnam.
The clip, filmed late Sunday as the couple disembarked their plane, captures Macron pausing at the aircraft door when a hand—clad in red and belonging to an unseen Brigitte—playfully shoves his face from the side. The president briefly registers surprise before flashing his trademark smile and waving to waiting media.
Addressing reporters in Hanoi on Monday, Macron mocked the frenzy over the lighthearted exchange:
“There’s a video showing me joking and teasing my wife, and suddenly it becomes a geo-planetary catastrophe—with people inventing entire theories to explain it,” he quipped.
While confirming the video’s authenticity, Macron criticized its sensationalization: “Yes, the footage is real. But must we interpret everything? Must we turn a private moment between spouses into breaking news?”
The incident has sparked global debate, with social media users split between seeing marital banter or underlying tension. The Macrons, known for their playful public dynamic, have faced heightened scrutiny since the 24-year age gap between them became a talking point early in his presidency.
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