French President Emmanuel Macron denies being slapped by wife in viral video
French President Emmanuel Macron has dismissed viral rumours that his wife, Brigitte Macron, physically assaulted him during their arrival in Vietnam, describing the speculation as a distortion of reality fuelled by disinformation campaigns.
The controversy erupted after footage circulated online showing Brigitte appearing to push her husband's face as they disembarked from their presidential aircraft in Hanoi on Sunday. The brief clip, shot by the Associated Press, shows the First Lady extending both hands toward Macron's face in what some interpreted as an aggressive gesture. With most of her body obscured by the aircraft door, her facial expression and demeanour remain unclear.
Macron slapped by his wife Brigitte. pic.twitter.com/cZDzdgPZnq
— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) May 26, 2025
Speaking to reporters on Monday, May 26, Macron denied any altercation had taken place, insisting the interaction was light-hearted. “My wife and I were squabbling, we were rather joking, and I was taken by surprise,” he explained. He lamented the global reaction to the video, adding: “Now it's become a kind of planetary catastrophe, and some are even coming up with theories.”
The incident has overshadowed the president’s official visit to Vietnam, which the Frencg government had hoped would highlight France’s strategic interest in the Indo-Pacific region. Instead, it became the latest in a string of viral moments involving the French leader.
“This is the third week in a row where people have watched videos and think I shared a bag of cocaine, that I had a fight with the Turkish president, and that now I'm having a domestic dispute with my wife,” Macron said. “None of these are true,” he stressed, adding that while the videos were “completely authentic,” the narratives surrounding them were false.
Previously, footage purported to show Macron being overpowered in a handshake by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and another clip from a train to Kyiv was used to falsely accuse the French president of sharing cocaine with German and British officials.
Macron pointed to what he called a coordinated disinformation effort, particularly in light of France’s support for Ukraine. “For three weeks… there are people who have watched videos and think…” he said, implying that malicious interpretation was being used as a political weapon.
Following the Vietnam incident, Macron and his wife proceeded to the official welcoming ceremony, although Brigitte Macron notably did not take her husband's arm when he offered it.
Initially, the Elysée denied the authenticity of the Hanoi video. However, after verification, the footage was confirmed to be real. A presidential aide later downplayed the moment, calling it a harmless “squabble” between the couple.
The personal relationship between the Macrons has long attracted public attention. Brigitte Macron, 72, met her future husband when he was a student in her drama class in Amiens. She later divorced her then-husband and began a relationship with Emmanuel, now 47. As First Lady, she has maintained a high-profile role and previously pursued legal action against false claims about her gender identity circulated on social media.
