French President Emmanuel Macron’s office on Monday sought to defuse speculation over an awkward exchange between the President and his wife Brigitte Macron as he arrived in Vietnam to begin a week-long tour of Southeast Asia.
Footage captured by the Associated Press in Hanoi on Sunday evening shows the aircraft door opening with President Macron appearing in the doorway.
Moments later, two arms—identified as those of Brigitte Macron—emerge from the left and appear to push the President’s face, startling him briefly.
The First Lady remains out of full view, her body obscured by the aircraft fuselage, making it difficult to interpret her facial expression or intent. President Macron quickly recovers and proceeds to wave before descending the staircase to attend an official welcome by Vietnamese authorities. Brigitte Macron, walking beside him, notably does not take his offered arm.
The clip, though brief, gained traction online, particularly among social media accounts critical of Macron. The French presidency initially questioned the authenticity of the video, but later acknowledged it was genuine.
An aide close to the President described the exchange as a “harmless squabble” between the couple, characterising the moment as light-hearted. “It was a moment when the president and his wife were decompressing one last time before the start of the trip by joking around,” the official said.
Another source from the President’s entourage lamented the attention the clip received, blaming what they described as “pro-Russian” online accounts for fuelling conspiracy theories around the incident. “No more was needed to feed the mills of the conspiracy theorists,” the official remarked.
Macron’s visit to Vietnam marks the first leg of a tour through Southeast Asia, where he is expected to present France as a viable strategic partner amid rising influence from China and the United States in the region. The President is also scheduled to visit Indonesia and Singapore in the coming days.
