On May 25, 2025, a surprising moment captured global attention when French First Lady Brigitte Macron appeared to slap or push her husband, President Emmanuel Macron, in the face as they arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam, for a Southeast Asia tour.
Watch the video below.
The incident, caught on video at Noi Bai International Airport, sparked widespread speculation and became a social media sensation. Here’s what happened, why it might have occurred, and key details about the Macrons’ relationship and presidency.
Where and When Did It Happen? The incident took place on Sunday evening, May 25, 2025, as the Macrons disembarked from their presidential plane in Hanoi, Vietnam. The couple was beginning a week-long tour of Southeast Asia, with planned visits to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore.
The video shows President Macron standing at the plane’s open door, waving to the crowd, when Brigitte’s hands suddenly appear, pushing his face with what some described as a slap.
He briefly stepped back before recovering to wave again, while Brigitte stayed momentarily out of sight behind the plane’s fuselage.
Why Did It Happen? The exact reason for Brigitte’s gesture remains unclear, but President Macron and his team quickly downplayed the moment.
Macron told reporters, “We are squabbling and, rather, joking with my wife,” dismissing the incident as blown out of proportion. An Élysée Palace official called it “a moment of complicity” where the couple was “horsing around” before the official visit began.
However, some observers, including body language expert Judi James, noted Macron’s clenched jaw and balled fist afterward, suggesting he might have been “furious” or tense despite the playful explanation.
Social media speculated about possible tension, with some pointing to the couple’s high-profile dynamic and others suggesting it was a lighthearted moment misinterpreted by the public.
How Long Have They Been Married? Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron have been married since 2007, making their marriage 18 years strong as of 2025. Their relationship has often drawn attention due to their 25-year age gap—Emmanuel is 47, and Brigitte is 72.
How Did They Meet? The couple met at Lycée La Providence, a Jesuit high school in Amiens, France, where Brigitte, then Brigitte Auzière, was a drama teacher, and Emmanuel was her 15-year-old student. Brigitte was 39, married to banker André-Louis Auzière, and a mother of three children, one of whom was Emmanuel’s classmate.
Their relationship began as a teacher-student connection through drama club activities, but it grew over time. Emmanuel’s parents, shocked by the relationship, sent him to Paris to finish high school at Lycée Henri-IV, but he and Brigitte stayed in touch.
After Brigitte divorced her first husband in 2006, she moved to Paris to join Emmanuel, and they married a year later when he was 29 and she was 54.
Speculation About Their Meeting The Macrons’ unconventional love story has long fascinated the public. According to journalist Anne Fulda’s book Emmanuel Macron: A Perfect Young Man, Emmanuel vowed to marry Brigitte at 16, despite his parents’ disapproval.
His mother reportedly confronted Brigitte, saying, “Don’t you see? You’ve had your life. But he won’t have children with you.” Brigitte herself has been discreet, stating, “Nobody will ever know at what moment our story became a love story.” The age gap and their teacher-student beginnings have fueled tabloid speculation.
The couple has no children together, but Brigitte’s three children from her first marriage are part of their family.
Emmanuel Macron has been President of France since May 17, 2017, after winning the presidential election. As of May 2025, he has served for just over eight years.
His second term, which began in 2022, will end in May 2027, as French presidents serve five-year terms and are limited to two consecutive terms.
What Was Happening Behind the Scenes? Details about the moments leading up to the incident are sparse, as the interaction occurred just inside the plane, out of full view.
The video shows Brigitte’s hands pushing Macron’s face, but her expression and body language were obscured by the plane’s fuselage. Some reports suggest the couple was “decompressing” before the high-stakes visit, which aimed to strengthen France’s ties with Vietnam amid global trade tensions.
Macron’s office initially denied the video’s existence before confirming it, which added fuel to conspiracy theories. Russian state media RT hinted at domestic discord, a claim Macron’s team dismissed as misinformation. The incident followed another recent controversy where a video falsely suggested Macron was handling cocaine, further amplifying public scrutiny.
The viral moment comes four years after another high-profile incident in 2021, when a protester slapped Macron during a public appearance in France, shouting “Down with Macron-ism.” The Macrons’ Southeast Asia tour, the first by a French president to Vietnam in nearly a decade, focuses on diplomacy and trade, with meetings scheduled with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong and Communist Party Secretary-General To Lam.
Despite the slap controversy, the couple appeared together for photos at Hanoi’s Presidential Palace on May 26, presenting a united stance.
Watch the viral video below.
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