Macron denies any altercation with wife in viral video of her pushing him

French President Emmanuel Macron has denied claims that he and his wife, Brigitte Macron, had an altercation during a visit to Vietnam, following the circulation of a viral video that appeared to show her pushing him in the face.

The footage, recorded by an Associated Press camera operator on Monday, May 26, 2025, showed Macron standing in the doorway of a plane at the start of a visit to Hanoi.

As he turned toward his wife, her hand seemed to shove him backward, causing a slight stumble before he regained his balance and waved.

While Brigitte Macron’s face and body are not visible in the clip, the moment quickly gained attention after being shared by Russian state media and French far-right social media accounts.

The video was seized upon by Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

He mocked the French president in a Telegram post, suggesting he had been given “a right hook.”

She sarcastically questioned whether the first lady had misjudged a “gentle pat” or was trying to fix his collar and ended up hitting him instead.

She then added provocatively, “Here’s a hint: maybe it was the ‘hand of the Kremlin’,” implying that even this moment could be spun into geopolitical drama.

In response to the speculation, Macron dismissed the claims, explaining to reporters in Hanoi that he and his wife were simply “joking around, as we do quite often.”

He emphasized that the gesture was entirely playful and part of their typical interactions.

The Élysée Palace backed up Macron’s explanation, with one official calling the moment “a scene of closeness.”

Another source described it as the couple “decompressing” before beginning their official engagements.

According to the source, Macron often jokes with Brigitte before public appearances, and she responds in kind.

“It wasn’t even a slap,” the source clarified.

Macron expressed frustration at the continued misinterpretation of his actions in the media and online.

He pointed out that other moments in his public life had similarly been twisted, saying, “People have thought I shared a bag of cocaine, tussled with the Turkish president, now that I’m having a domestic dispute with my wife …

“None of this is true. Everyone needs to calm down,” he added.

This incident comes shortly after another round of misinformation.

In it, Maria Zakharova and American conspiracy theorist Alex Jones accused Macron, German politician Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer of drug use during a train trip to Kyiv.

The claim was based on a crumpled tissue seen in a photo, which they alleged was a bag of cocaine—an assertion widely debunked.

Macron, addressing these accusations, said the internet accounts promoting such stories were “familiar,” linking Russian sources with French extremist groups.

He added that some commentators had gone as far as to describe his diplomatic style as that of a “battered husband.”

They supposedly highlighted how absurd and sensationalist the interpretations had become.

Amid the controversy, the Macrons continued their diplomatic mission in Vietnam.

It marked the first official visit by a French presidential couple to the former French colony in nearly ten years.

During the trip, France and Vietnam signed a series of significant agreements valued at €9 billion (approximately £7.55 billion).

The deals include the purchase of 20 Airbus aircraft and partnerships in areas such as nuclear energy, defense, rail and maritime infrastructure, satellite technology, and vaccine development.

These agreements come at a time of broader international trade shifts, particularly due to economic uncertainty and protectionist measures such as tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The new collaborations underscore France’s interest in strengthening its presence and influence in Southeast Asia.

This is particularly as part of its broader Indo-Pacific strategy.

In summary, Macron firmly denied any domestic dispute with his wife.

He described the viral moment as playful and exaggerated by politically motivated sources.

Despite the media stir, he remained focused on the diplomatic objectives of the Vietnam trip.

Thus highlighting the deepening of Franco-Vietnamese relations through major economic and strategic agreements.

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