Macron Denies “Slap” Incident in Viral Hanoi Video, Calls It a Joke with His Wife
French President defuses controversy over Brigitte Macron’s gesture, blames Russian-linked accounts for fueling conspiracy.
Watan-Images of French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte upon their arrival in Vietnam, at the start of a Southeast Asia tour, have sparked widespread commentary on social media.
In a video whose authenticity was verified by French media outlets, Brigitte Macron is seen delivering what appears to be a “light slap” to the face of her husband, Emmanuel Macron, just as the door of the presidential aircraft opens upon arrival in Hanoi. These images were widely circulated by pro-Russian accounts, particularly those hostile to the French president.
The images, taken by the Associated Press on Sunday evening at Hanoi Airport, show the plane door opening, revealing the silhouette of Emmanuel Macron inside. At that moment, his wife’s arms suddenly reach out—without her full figure appearing—and her hands quickly touch the president’s face in a motion that resembled a light slap.
Macron Brushes Off Viral “Slap” as Playful Moment Amid AI Rumors and Political Spin
The video spread quickly overnight, particularly through accounts known for their anti-Macron stance, piquing the curiosity of journalists accompanying the president on his tour.
French journalists contacted the Élysée Palace, which initially denied the authenticity of the footage, hinting that it may have been AI-generated and circulated by pro-Russian sources. However, the Élysée later acknowledged the footage was indeed real.
Scène lunaire à leur arrivée au Vietnam : la vidéo semble clairement montrer Brigitte mettre un coup à Macron. C’est quoi ce couple sérieux ? 😭🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/ONzH3T1r3L
— Raamaa (@lagobrune) May 26, 2025
A source close to the president described it as a “normal marital moment.” On Monday, Macron’s team told traveling journalists:“It was a relaxed moment between the president and his wife before the start of the visit. They were joking with one another.”
The source added:“It was a moment of affection. Nothing more was needed for conspiracy theorists to seize on it,” noting that most of the negative commentary came from pro-Russian circles.
Macron Responds
Following the widespread media attention, President Macron addressed the issue directly in Hanoi, affirming that the moment many commentators interpreted as a slap from the First Lady was nothing more than playful teasing, and not a domestic dispute, calling for calm.
He stated that he and his wife—whom he married in 2007, and who is 24 years his senior and was his teacher in high school—were simply joking around.
“We were playing and joking around, as we often do,” said Macron, stressing that the incident had been wildly exaggerated:
“It turned into a kind of geo-cosmic catastrophe.”
He added:“Three weeks ago, people saw a video and thought I was sharing a bag of cocaine. Then they thought I was holding the Turkish president’s finger too long. Now, they think I had a fight with my wife.
None of this is true… So everyone needs to calm down.”
Brigitte Macron later appeared with him at a reception hosted by the Vietnamese president and his wife.
President Macron has begun a week-long tour of Southeast Asia, which will also include visits to Indonesia and Singapore.
