HANOI, VIETNAM – May 25, 2025 — A brief, light-hearted moment between French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron sparked widespread online buzz as the couple arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam, on an official visit.
In a now-viral video captured by the Associated Press, President Macron is seen preparing to exit the aircraft when Brigitte Macron playfully reaches out, placing one hand over his mouth and another on his jaw. The French leader turns his head away, briefly startled, before quickly regaining composure, smiling, and waving to the cameras.
Clad in a sharp suit, President Macron stood in the doorway of the aircraft, while Brigitte, dressed in a vibrant red blazer, appeared to tease her husband moments before their official welcome. As the pair descended the aircraft steps together, Macron offered his arm to his wife, which she declined with a light smile.
While some social media users speculated on the nature of the interaction, President Macron quickly dismissed any controversy. Speaking to reporters, he described the incident as a harmless moment of humor between the couple.
“We are squabbling and, rather, joking with my wife,” Macron said, calling the reactions a “geo-planetary catastrophe” blown out of proportion. The President emphasized the need to maintain perspective in an era where every moment can be scrutinized online.
The first couple’s relationship has long drawn public attention. Emmanuel Macron met Brigitte when he was a high school student and she was a married teacher nearly 24 years his senior. They married in 2007 when he was 29.
French media outlet Le Parisien captured the public's mixed reactions with a headline asking, “Slap or squabble?” as internet users debated the viral footage.
Macron’s office also weighed in, downplaying the moment as a “moment of complicity” and “horsing around” after a long flight. “It’s all that was needed to give ammunition to the conspiracy theorists,” a spokesperson commented, emphasizing that the interaction was an intimate, playful exchange between the couple.
CNN was told by the Élysée Palace that it was a “moment of togetherness,” captured at an inopportune time but lacking any ill intent.
As global leaders continue to navigate both diplomatic relations and public perception, the Macrons’ candid exchange reminds the world that even heads of state are not immune to the occasional lighthearted moment — especially when the cameras are rolling.