"Brigitte and I Were Just Joking, But It Was Misrepresented Online" – French President Emmanuel Macron Responds to Viral Video

"Brigitte and I Were Just Joking, But It Was Misrepresented Online" – French President Emmanuel Macron Responds to Viral Video

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday dismissed the rumors and speculation swirling around a viral video in which his wife, Brigitte Macron, appears to push his face aboard their presidential aircraft.

“We were just joking, nothing more,” Macron stated. “Yet somehow this is being turned into a kind of geopolitical catastrophe.” He firmly denied any allegations of a domestic dispute.

The video was recorded on Sunday evening as the presidential plane's doors opened after arriving in Vietnam. In the footage, Brigitte’s hand is seen appearing to push against the President’s face.

As the couple descended the aircraft steps to greet Vietnamese officials, Macron reached out to hold his wife's hand—but Brigitte seemed to ignore the gesture.

Criticizing the frenzy stirred online, Macron said:

“Too many crazy people are analyzing these videos and offering bizarre interpretations.”

He pointed to the exaggerated and false narratives spreading on social media.

Macron added that several of his recent video clips over the past three weeks had been misrepresented:

“Some thought I was sharing a bag of cocaine, others claimed I was in a fight with the President of Turkey, and now they say I’m having an argument with my wife. None of it is true.”

He suggested that misleading rumors are being spread by “Russian influence networks” and French extremists:

“The Russians are very skilled at spreading this sort of thing, and the extremists in France have become dangerous messengers.”

Notably, President Macron arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Sunday evening as part of a week-long diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia. During the trip, he is also scheduled to visit Indonesia and Singapore to strengthen diplomatic and trade relations.