Macron and his wife's Vietnam visit takes a scandalous turn

The President of France went on an official business trip to manage deals with Vietnam, which came amid the trade turmoil triggered by Donald Trump's US tariffs. It covered cooperation on nuclear energy, rail and maritime transport, vaccines, and the signing of deals on Airbus planes, defence, and other pacts worth €9 billion.

Though before they disembarked, something that raised eyebrows took place. A video showing the President's wife pushing him in the face went viral online.

Right hook or running joke?

Brigitte Macron's body is not visible in the shot taken by an Associated Press camera operator, and the President told reporters that the gesture was only playful. But the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, seized the footage and then wrote on Telegram that the President had received "a right hook" in Hanoi, Vietnam, when two hands reached out and pushed Mr Macron to smack him in the face.

The President said that the video had captured him and his wife "bickering and, rather, joking around like we often do". He said, "I'm surprised by it. It turns into some kind of global catastrophe where people are even coming up with theories to explain it. It's nonsense."

A source told the media that the couple were simply "decompressing" one last time before the start of the visit. Macron "loves playing jokes on Brigitte before official occasions, and she always responds like this."

A political columnist, Ivan Rioufo, said the video clip implied “there may be domestic violence against men”, and the incident on the plane suggested that there was an imbalance in the relationship between Macron and his wife. “Macron cannot even command respect from his wife when there are cameras in front of him,” Rioufol said.

Brigitte’s ‘love tap’ and a phantom Coke bag

Did the first lady decide to cheer up her husband with just a gentle pat on the cheek? Or did she miscalculate her strength? Macron told reporters in Hanoi that the internet accounts making the claims were “familiar”, allying Russians with French extremists. Macron also suggested that there are other videos of him that have been misinterpreted.

"People have thought I shared a bag of cocaine," he commented. Recently, Macron travelled to Kyiv with the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. A video soon surfaced showing a tissue lying on a table in their cabin, and some social media accounts described it as a "bag of cocaine."

The President's office uploaded a rare social media post at the time, stating:

"When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs. This fake news is being spread by France's enemies, both abroad and at home. We must remain vigilant against manipulation."

Conspiracy theorists said that the footage of the heated row was all part of a plot to discredit the President and that it came from the Kremlin.

Grace, grit, and the glare of the spotlight

As France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron has long walked the fine line between tradition and transformation. From her unconventional love story with President Emmanuel Macron to her prominent role on the global stage, she has fascinated both admirers and critics alike.

In recent weeks, Brigitte has found herself at the centre of viral speculation and political conspiracy, not for a policy initiative or a charity campaign, but for a fleeting gesture caught on camera that set the internet on fire.

Beyond the headlines and hashtags: Who is Brigitte Macron really?

Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron, born 13 April 1953, is a former teacher and the wife of the French president.

Brigitte taught literature at the College Lucie-Berger in Strasbourg in the 1980s. By the 1990s, she was teaching French and Latin at Lycée la Providence. Between 2007 and 2015, she taught at Lycée Saint-Louis de Gonzague in the 16th arrondissement of Paris.

She unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the city council of Truchtersheim in 1989, marking the only time she had ever run for office. During 2017, Brigitte played an active role in her husband's presidential campaign, and upon winning the French presidency, Macron said his wife would "have the role that she always had. She will not be hidden."

The President proposed creating an official "first lady" title, coming with their own staff, office and a personally allocated budget for their activities.

Following the presidential election, a petition against his proposal gathered more than 275,000 signatures, and the French government announced that Brigitte Macron would not hold the official title of "first lady", and she could wave goodbye to the official budget.

Brigitte Macron's image has also been illegally exploited by several scammers online, who used it to sell and promote anti-wrinkle creams. They falsely claimed that she was the muse or creator of these products, misleading consumers into believing those were part of her celebrity beauty routine.

Body language expert says Brigitte’s push was no joke

Despite the insistence that the slap was just a joke, body language expert Judi James told a media outlet that it was actually more serious. She went as far as to say that the French government were trying to “save political face”.

Just before the incident, Emmanuel Macron appeared relaxed, unaware of the incoming slap. According to the analysis, Brigitte used both hands to push Macron’s head backwards, describing it as a “shove” rather than a slap.

When Emmanuel Macron realised that the “slap” was being publicly witnessed, he appeared startled. Macron then attempted to downplay the situation by greeting those present. There were several notable behaviours, including an “unnecessary anchor gesture” when Macron placed his left hand on a nearby seat.

Lip reader reveals Brigitte Macron’s icy words

A lip reader also came forward to reveal what Macron’s wife said moments after shoving him in the face.

After the plane's door opened, Macron noticed the cameras were on him. He then said, "Hi," before raising his hand. Emmanuel then stepped closer to Brigitte before composing himself and crossing to the other side. A few minutes later, he signalled for her to follow him with, "Let's go."

"But at the top of the stairs, things turn icy again. He offers his arm, and she ignores it, choosing to cling to the railing instead. As she passes, she appears to mutter, "Dégage, espèce de loser," translated in English, 'Stay away, you loser.'"

Moments later, the lip reader claims Macron said, “Essayons, s’il te plaît”, which translates to, “Let’s try, please?” She then responds, “Non.”
His closing expression and the phrase lipread as 'Je vois,' translated in English, 'I see,' says it all.”