French first lady's gesture toward Macron draws online buzz during Vietnam trip

ISTANBUL

A video showing French first lady Brigitte Macron “pushing” President Emmanuel Macron in the face, aboard their plane after they arrived in Vietnam, went viral on Monday, sparking a wave of online speculation.

The video, recorded by several Western international press agencies, shows the president stepping out of the aircraft on Sunday evening when Brigitte Macron, wearing red, suddenly places both hands on his face, Franceinfo reported.

The president quickly steps back, smiles, and waves to the cameras.

Initially, the Elysee dismissed the video as a fake when contacted by Franceinfo, but later confirmed its authenticity, describing the moment as a "banal couple’s teasing."

A source close to the president told journalists: "It was a moment where the president and his wife were decompressing one last time before the start of the trip, playfully teasing each other," adding: "It didn’t take more to give conspiracy theorists something to feed on," according to Franceinfo.

No other news agencies have confirmed the video’s authenticity except Franceinfo, which reported on the Elysee’s unofficial response.

Macron also appears momentarily surprised but swiftly turns to wave to those waiting outside, Le Parisien reported.

20 Minutes News highlighted that the images spread rapidly on social media, especially on accounts hostile to Emmanuel Macron.

The scene sparked many comments, with some interpreting the gesture as a "small altercation" or even a "blow," while the Elysee insisted it was a “light” moment between the couple.

The video of Macron and his wife coming out of the plane shows the French first lady apparently refusing to hold his arm while they scale down the stairs.

Macron arrived in Hanoi on Sunday evening to begin a week-long tour of Southeast Asia aimed at deepening economic and diplomatic ties, including engagements in Indonesia and Singapore.