Overview

• A video from May 25 shows Brigitte Macron placing both hands on her husband’s face as they disembarked in Hanoi and swiftly going viral.
• The Elysee first dismissed the footage as manipulated before acknowledging it was genuine and framing the moment as spousal closeness.
• Speaking to reporters in Hanoi, Macron said the exchange was a private joke between him and his wife and not a sign of marital discord.
• The viral clip has diverted attention from landmark economic deals on the tour, including €9 billion in contracts and the sale of twenty Airbus aircraft.
• Macron has urged commentators to ‘calm down’ and focus on substantive diplomatic issues rather than sensational video snippets.