Macron’s Vietnam Visit Overshadowed by Viral Video of Apparent Spousal Slap
French President’s diplomatic tour marred by controversy as footage of Brigitte Macron’s on-aircraft gesture sparks online storm and official damage control
Vietnam, PUREWILAYAH.COM - French President Emmanuel Macron’s high-profile visit to Vietnam was quickly eclipsed by a wave of online controversy following the circulation of a video that appeared to show his wife, Brigitte Macron, striking him in the face.
The footage, captured by the Associated Press upon the couple’s arrival in Hanoi on Sunday evening, begins with the aircraft door opening to reveal President Macron at the threshold.
Moments later, Brigitte Macron’s hands are seen emerging from the side, seemingly pushing her husband’s face away in a sudden, unanticipated motion that some observers interpreted as a reprimand.
Macron briefly recoils before regaining composure and waving to the waiting crowd. Brigitte remains partially obscured behind the fuselage, her face hidden from public view.
As the couple descends the plane’s staircase, another moment fuels speculation: Brigitte pointedly refuses to take Macron’s extended arm, prompting further commentary online about the nature of the exchange.
Élysée Denial Followed by Damage Control
The French presidential office initially dismissed the video as inauthentic. However, once major news agencies verified the footage, officials swiftly shifted their tone and attempted to downplay the incident.
“It was a moment of closeness,” one Élysée official stated, insisting the gesture was part of a lighthearted private exchange between spouses.
Another presidential aide described the moment as “a decompressing gesture” made in anticipation of the demanding diplomatic schedule ahead.
Despite these reassurances, the explanation failed to stem the viral spread of the clip, which rapidly circulated across social media platforms, particularly among pro-Russian accounts that have previously targeted Macron.
Not the First Viral Controversy for Macron
This incident marks yet another in a series of viral controversies involving President Macron in recent weeks. Earlier this month, false allegations circulated online that Macron had attempted to conceal cocaine during a meeting with UK Labour leader Keir Starmer and Germany’s Friedrich Merz.
The clip, recorded aboard a train en route to Ukraine, showed a small white object on the table — later confirmed by French officials to be nothing more than a tissue. Nevertheless, the misleading claims garnered widespread attention before being debunked.
Diplomatic Mission Undermined by Media Storm
Macron’s current trip, the first by a French president to Vietnam in nearly ten years, is intended to bolster France’s waning influence in the Indo-Pacific and reaffirm strategic ties with Southeast Asian partners.
However, the intended diplomatic narrative has been overshadowed by the media frenzy surrounding the video and growing scrutiny of the French leader’s public image.
As Macron attempts to advance France’s foreign policy goals in Asia, his team must also navigate the increasingly complex landscape of viral misinformation and digital disinformation that threatens to derail high-stakes international diplomacy. (PW)
Source: Tasnim