French President Emmanuel Macron has rejected claims that he had a fight with his wife, Brigitte Macron, during their state visit to Vietnam. He said the viral video showing the incident is part of disinformation efforts meant to damage his reputation.
The video, recorded by the Associated Press, shows Brigitte appearing to push Macron’s face as they got off their plane in Hanoi on Sunday. Macron looked surprised for a moment but then turned to wave to people nearby. Because Brigitte was partly hidden in the video, her expression and intention were unclear.
Macron told reporters the moment was just a private joke between him and his wife. He said, “My wife and I were playfully squabbling. I was caught off guard. But now, it has become a global incident with many wild theories.”
This is the third time in May that misleading videos about Macron have gone viral. Earlier this month, social media falsely claimed he used cocaine during a visit to Kyiv with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Another video showed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apparently overpowering Macron in a handshake. Macron said these clips were taken out of context.
He stated firmly, “None of these stories are true,” and asked the public to “calm down.” Macron explained that the item he picked up in the Kyiv video was a tissue, not drugs. He also said the handshake video was distorted to serve political goals.
After the Hanoi incident, the Macrons walked down the plane’s stairs for their official welcome. Brigitte did not take Macron’s arm when he offered it, which added to online speculation. The video quickly spread on social media, shared mostly by accounts critical of Macron.
At first, the Élysée Palace questioned whether the video was real or digitally altered. Later, they confirmed it was genuine and Macron issued his personal explanation.
He said, “In these three videos, I either picked up a tissue, shook a hand, or shared a joke with my wife — nothing more.” Macron accused foreign powers and domestic extremists of twisting innocent moments for political reasons.
He singled out Russia, which France accuses of waging information warfare amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, who had spread the cocaine rumors, mocked the Hanoi video on Telegram. She joked that Brigitte landed a “right hook” on Macron and sarcastically blamed the Kremlin.
Vietnam is Macron’s first stop on his Southeast Asia tour. The visit aims to position France as a reliable partner in the region, balancing China and the United States. He will also visit Indonesia and Singapore.
The Macrons’ relationship has long attracted public interest. They met when Brigitte, 72, was a drama teacher and Macron, 47, was her student at a private school in Amiens. She later divorced her husband and began a relationship with Macron, who eventually became president. As First Lady, Brigitte has sometimes taken legal action against false online claims, including those questioning her gender.
