A brief yet peculiar moment involving French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron has stirred a social media storm, shedding light on the viral potential of even the most innocuous personal gestures in the digital age.
The incident occurred at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport during the couple’s recent state visit to Vietnam. As their aircraft door opened, Brigitte Macron was captured in a video appearing to push her husband’s face gently with both hands while he stood at the doorway. The video, recorded by media outlets including the Associated Press, rapidly went viral on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), sparking a flurry of memes, satirical edits, and public reactions.
The clip shows a moment of surprise from President Macron, who quickly composed himself and waved with a smile toward the cameras. Brigitte, partially obscured behind the aircraft’s door, remained expressionless in the video, adding to the mystery and speculation surrounding the gesture.
While the video sparked humor online—one user quipping, “Even a President with UN veto power can’t escape his wife’s slap”—it also attracted attention from political commentators and media personalities. Some posts featured WWE-style sound effects or soap opera comparisons, turning the clip into a global meme.
The Élysée Palace initially claimed the video was manipulated but later clarified it as a “playful moment” between the couple, emphasizing that it reflected their close and candid relationship. In a press briefing in Hanoi, President Macron himself addressed the incident, saying, “We often joke around like this. It was a light-hearted moment, not a quarrel, but it has been exaggerated and misinterpreted on social media.”
However, the video wasn’t just a source of comedy. It was soon weaponized in the ongoing battle of online narratives. Russian state media and anti-French online accounts sought to ridicule Macron using the clip. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova mockingly referred to it as a “right hook.” In response, Macron accused extremist and foreign entities of distorting the video as part of a larger disinformation campaign aimed at undermining his leadership.
The Macron couple’s personal life has long fascinated the public. Their relationship began when Brigitte was Emmanuel’s high school drama teacher—an unusual pairing with a 24-year age gap. Married since 2007, they have faced both admiration and scrutiny in the public eye. Critics have dubbed Brigitte “France’s Queen,” though she remains actively involved in social causes and official engagements.
