The French president has characterized the widely circulated video of Brigitte playfully pushing his face as “just joking around.”
French President Emmanuel Macron has minimized the significance of a viral video showing his wife, Brigitte, playfully pushing his face as they exited an airplane, explaining that it was simply a moment of lighthearted fun between them.
The video, which surfaced on Sunday in Hanoi, Vietnam, shows Macron emerging from the aircraft, engaged in conversation with someone off-camera. Suddenly, two arms wearing red sleeves reach out and briefly cover his mouth and jaw. He stumbles backward, regains his footing, and then smiles and waves upon noticing the cameras. Brigitte, wearing a red jacket, then appears beside him. Macron offers her his arm, which she declines, and they descend the stairs together.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Macron expressed his “surprise” at the widespread speculation surrounding the incident.
“There’s a video showing me and my wife teasing and joking with each other, and somehow that transforms into a major global event, with people even developing theories to explain it,” he stated.
📱 “Un moment de complicité” entre Emmanuel et Brigitte .
✋ L’Élysée a voulu désamorcer la polémique après que des images très relayées sur les réseaux sociaux ont montré le président français recevoir une main au visage de la part de son épouse
— FRANCE 24 Français (@France24_fr)
He also alluded to two other recent viral clips. “Many individuals are spending their time interpreting these videos in absurd ways,” Macron commented.
One widely circulated video, taken during a visit to Ukraine, shows Macron on a train with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The French president appears to quickly hide a small object, leading to online speculation about drug use. The Elysee Palace dismissed these rumors as unfounded.
Another clip, from the European Political Community summit in Albania just two weeks prior, depicted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan firmly holding Macron’s finger while seated, as Macron stood beside him – a gesture that some media outlets interpreted as a subtle display of power.
Macron confirmed the authenticity of all three videos but rejected the online interpretations surrounding them.
Initially, the Elysee declined to comment on the Hanoi incident, later referring to it as a “moment of togetherness.” A source informed BFM TV that the couple had simply been playfully arguing, and nothing more.
The Macrons have been married since 2007. They met when he was a student at the Lycée la Providence in Amiens, where she was a teacher. Brigitte is 24 years older than her husband. The couple has consistently faced speculation regarding her gender – claims they have repeatedly refuted and pursued legal action against.
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