French President Emmanuel Macron has dismissed rumors of a spat with his wife, Brigitte Macron, after a video showing what appeared to be a playful shove went viral and was seized upon by Russian state media and far-right commentators.
The video, captured by an Associated Press cameraman, shows Macron stepping into view at the doorway of a plane during the presidential couple’s arrival in Hanoi. As he moves forward, a hand—reportedly Brigitte’s, briefly pushes his face, causing him to step back momentarily before smiling and waving. Her body is not visible in the frame.
Though Macron insisted the gesture was a joke, saying they were “joking around, as we do quite often,” the footage quickly became fodder for online conspiracies. Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, mocked the moment on Telegram, calling it a “right hook” and suggesting Brigitte had “miscalculated her strength” or was “adjusting his collar and hit his face instead.”
“Here’s a hint,” she added sarcastically, “maybe it was the ‘hand of the Kremlin’.”
Russian outlet RT (Russia Today) and affiliated social media channels repeatedly aired the clip, amplifying speculation about alleged tensions between the Macrons. Far-right French accounts joined the chorus, further fueling the controversy.
Élysée Palace officials pushed back firmly. One called the moment “a scene of closeness” and another explained that the couple were simply “larking around” before the start of a formal state visit. “Macron loves playing jokes on his wife before official occasions, and she always responds like this,” the official said. “It wasn’t even a slap.”
Macron addressed the situation directly, brushing off the uproar. “People have thought I shared a bag of cocaine, tussled with the Turkish president, and now that I’m having a domestic dispute with my wife… None of this is true. Everyone needs to calm down,” he said.
Earlier this month, Zakharova and American conspiracy theorist Alex Jones had falsely accused Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer of using drugs on a train to Kyiv, based on footage of a crumpled tissue.
Macron linked the latest controversy to a coordinated effort between Russian propagandists and French extremist groups. “These internet accounts are familiar,” he said, noting that critics had jokingly dubbed his diplomacy style “that of a battered husband.”
Despite the distraction, the visit to Vietnam continued with significant diplomatic and economic developments. France and Vietnam signed deals worth €9 billion, including the purchase of 20 Airbus aircraft and cooperation on nuclear energy, defense, maritime transport, satellites, and vaccine production.
This marks the first formal visit by a French presidential couple to Vietnam in nearly a decade, reinforcing diplomatic and economic ties between the former colonial power and its Southeast Asian partner.
