French media outlets have been buzzing with interpretations surrounding a recent incident involving Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, as they disembarked from their plane in Hanoi on Sunday. The couple's arrival marked the beginning of their tour in Southeast Asia, but the interaction captured on camera has led to widespread commentary. A headline from the Le Parisien newspaper asked provocatively, “Slap or ‘squabble’? The images of Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron disembarking in Vietnam trigger a lot of comment.”
In response to the speculation, Macron addressed reporters, asserting that the couple was merely engaging in light-hearted banter. “We are horsing around and, really, joking with my wife,” he explained, downplaying the incident as being exaggerated. He humorously remarked that the situation had escalated to a “sort of geo-planetary catastrophe,” emphasizing that it was all in good fun.
Macron took the opportunity to dismiss other controversial videos that have circulated, including those that allegedly show him in compromising situations, such as sharing a bag of cocaine or confronting the Turkish president. He firmly stated, “None of these are true,” urging the public to “calm down” regarding the rampant speculation.
The president's office echoed his comments, describing the moment as a simple instance of the couple “decompressing one last time before the start of the trip by horsing around.” They emphasized that it was a moment of complicity between the two, which unfortunately provided fodder for conspiracy theorists.
The video that sparked the controversy featured a uniformed individual opening the plane door to reveal Macron inside, casually dressed in a suit and engaged in conversation with an unseen person. Viewers could see arms in red sleeves reaching out, playfully pushing Macron away—one hand covering his mouth and part of his nose, while the other rested on his jawbone. Initially startled, Macron quickly realized he was being filmed, broke into a smile, and waved at the camera.
Brigitte Macron, formerly known as Brigitte Auzière, was a married mother of three when she first met Emmanuel at his high school, where she was a teacher supervising the drama club. Despite their age difference, the couple formed a bond over their shared interests, particularly literature. After moving to Paris for his final year of high school, Emmanuel promised to marry Brigitte. She eventually relocated to the French capital, divorced her first husband, and finally married Macron.
This latest incident highlights the intense scrutiny faced by public figures like the Macrons, where even light-hearted moments can become the subject of widespread debate and speculation.
