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Sunday, Jun 01, 2025
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Emmanuel Macron Addresses Viral Video Incident with Wife
French President clarifies playful interaction captured on camera during Southeast Asia tour.
French President Emmanuel Macron has offered an explanation for a viral video depicting a playful interaction with his wife, Brigitte Macron, as they disembarked from their plane in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The video, which quickly gained traction on social media, shows Brigitte Macron seemingly pushing her husband’s face with both hands as they exited the aircraft.
This incident sparked a considerable amount of speculation and commentary in French media, with various outlets questioning the nature of the interaction.
Macron characterized the moment as lighthearted, stating, "We are squabbling and, rather, joking with my wife," and expressing concern that the reaction to the incident had been exaggerated into "a sort of geo-planetary catastrophe." The couple, who have been married since 2007 after meeting at a high school where he was a student and she was a teacher, were reportedly engaging in playful behavior before commencing their official visit.
The original video captured by journalists showed Macron speaking inside the plane when Brigitte's hands suddenly appeared, pushing him gently away.
Upon realizing he was on camera, Macron smiled and waved, adding to the lighthearted nature of the moment.
The incident is not the first time Macron has found himself in the spotlight due to viral footage; this marks the third occasion in a month where he has been a subject of speculation around videos.
Notably, false claims circulated regarding his conduct during a trip to Kyiv, where he was alleged to have used cocaine, a suggestion stemming from a moment when he merely disposed of a tissue.
In another instance, a video misinterpreted a handshake with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Macron responded to the disinformation surrounding these incidents, calling out what he described as manipulative narratives created by "crackpots." He specifically alluded to the involvement of disinformation networks, attributing some of the distortions to Russian sources and extremists within France.
The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, previously promoted the cocaine narrative and later remarked humorously about Macron's interaction with his wife.
Macron's office downplayed the significance of the plane incident, framing it as a moment of light-heartedness before a lengthy trip.
"It was a moment where the president and his wife were decompressing one last time before the start of the trip by horsing around," stated an unnamed official from his office.
The comments highlight a broader context of increasing scrutiny, as the French government has recently noted an uptick in targeted disinformation campaigns amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
The video, which quickly gained traction on social media, shows Brigitte Macron seemingly pushing her husband’s face with both hands as they exited the aircraft.
This incident sparked a considerable amount of speculation and commentary in French media, with various outlets questioning the nature of the interaction.
Macron characterized the moment as lighthearted, stating, "We are squabbling and, rather, joking with my wife," and expressing concern that the reaction to the incident had been exaggerated into "a sort of geo-planetary catastrophe." The couple, who have been married since 2007 after meeting at a high school where he was a student and she was a teacher, were reportedly engaging in playful behavior before commencing their official visit.
The original video captured by journalists showed Macron speaking inside the plane when Brigitte's hands suddenly appeared, pushing him gently away.
Upon realizing he was on camera, Macron smiled and waved, adding to the lighthearted nature of the moment.
The incident is not the first time Macron has found himself in the spotlight due to viral footage; this marks the third occasion in a month where he has been a subject of speculation around videos.
Notably, false claims circulated regarding his conduct during a trip to Kyiv, where he was alleged to have used cocaine, a suggestion stemming from a moment when he merely disposed of a tissue.
In another instance, a video misinterpreted a handshake with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Macron responded to the disinformation surrounding these incidents, calling out what he described as manipulative narratives created by "crackpots." He specifically alluded to the involvement of disinformation networks, attributing some of the distortions to Russian sources and extremists within France.
The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, previously promoted the cocaine narrative and later remarked humorously about Macron's interaction with his wife.
Macron's office downplayed the significance of the plane incident, framing it as a moment of light-heartedness before a lengthy trip.
"It was a moment where the president and his wife were decompressing one last time before the start of the trip by horsing around," stated an unnamed official from his office.
The comments highlight a broader context of increasing scrutiny, as the French government has recently noted an uptick in targeted disinformation campaigns amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
