French President Emmanuel Macron has denied rumors of a domestic dispute with his wife, Brigitte Macron, following the circulation of a video that showed her appearing to push his face as they arrived in Vietnam on Sunday for a diplomatic visit.
Speaking to reporters in Hanoi on Monday, Macron said the incident was nothing more than playful interaction between him and his wife. “We were joking, as we often do,” he said, brushing off online speculation that the moment reflected tension between the couple.
The video, filmed by the Associated Press, shows the French president stepping out of his plane in Hanoi, when Brigitte’s hands appear from the side and give his face a gentle shove. Macron looks momentarily surprised but quickly regains his composure and waves. Brigitte remains largely out of view, making it difficult to interpret her demeanor. She later walks down the stairs beside her husband but declines to take his extended arm.
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Initially, the presidential palace questioned the authenticity of the footage, but it was later confirmed to be genuine. A source close to the president downplayed the moment, describing it as a “harmless squabble” between a long-married couple. Another aide emphasized that the pair had simply been “decompressing” before the start of the official visit.
“It was just a moment of light-heartedness,” the aide said. “But, as usual, conspiracy theorists—especially pro-Russian accounts—were quick to twist it into something sinister.”
Macron also addressed other recent misleading clips circulating online, including ones falsely suggesting he was sharing a bag of cocaine or confronting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “None of these are true,” he said. “People really need to calm down.”
Vietnam is Macron’s first stop on a week-long tour of Southeast Asia aimed at strengthening France’s presence in the region and positioning the country as a reliable partner amid growing U.S.-China competition. His itinerary also includes visits to Indonesia and Singapore.
