Fallout after French President shoved in the face by wife
<p>French President Emmanuel Macron has found himself at the centre of an unexpected media storm after a moment of apparent tension with his wife, Brigitte Macron, was caught on camera as the couple disembarked from a plane in Hanoi.</p>
<p>Arriving on Monday for a six-day tour of Southeast Asia, the Macrons made headlines not for diplomacy, but for a brief, seemingly physical exchange at the top of the aircraft stairs.</p>
<p>Brigitte, 72, dressed in a striking red suit, appeared to shove her husband’s face with both hands as the cockpit door opened – just as members of the international press and Vietnamese officials looked on.</p>
<p>The 47-year-old president appeared visibly taken aback, momentarily flustered before regaining his composure. He smiled awkwardly and waved before descending the stairs without his wife, who remained momentarily behind, partially obscured by the fuselage and refusing to take his arm.</p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rwST8m0dRlM?si=Q9p9oNRkdbPSqowR" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>When questioned about the moment, Macron dismissed it with a laugh, telling reporters, “We are squabbling and, rather, joking with my wife. I’m surprised by it – it turns into some kind of global catastrophe where people are even coming up with theories to explain it. It’s nonsense.”</p>
<p>The Elysee Palace echoed the president’s tone, describing the incident as “a moment of closeness” and “a laugh” shared between the couple before beginning their official engagements.</p>
<p>Still, the footage quickly went viral on social media, prompting a flurry of speculation, jokes and criticism. While some observers saw it as harmless marital banter, others questioned the optics and tone, calling it an “embarrassing” spectacle for the French head of state.</p>
<p>Gilbert Collard, a former member of the European Parliament, sarcastically commented, “Everyone is laughing,” referencing the well-known age gap and history of the couple, who met at a Jesuit high school where Brigitte was Macron’s drama teacher. He was 15 at the time.</p>
<p>Social media users piled on, with one post noting, “Looks like even world leaders have to navigate a little domestic turbulence! Just goes to show, no matter how high you fly, there’s always someone to keep you grounded.”</p>
<p>Others shared screenshots of Macron’s seemingly clenched jaw and balled fist in the seconds following the push, scrutinising his body language in search of deeper meaning.</p>
<p>The Hanoi visit marks the first by a French president in nearly a decade, aimed at bolstering France's diplomatic and economic presence in the region – especially in its former colony. Yet for now, global attention remains fixed not on policy, but on a fleeting, dramatic moment between two of Europe’s most scrutinised public figures.</p>
<p>As the tour continues, so too does speculation about what really happened on those stairs – and whether the Macrons will manage to shift the narrative back to matters of state.</p>
<p><em>Image: YouTube</em></p>
