Overview

• Footage captured by the Associated Press on May 25 shows Brigitte Macron shoving President Macron’s face as they deplaned in Hanoi.
• Macron told reporters they were simply joking with each other and urged the public to disregard theories of marital discord.
• After first questioning the video’s authenticity and suggesting possible Russian interference, the Élysée acknowledged its genuineness and described it as a moment of spousely complicity.
• Observers have criticized the president’s press team for an inconsistent initial denial that fueled a wave of conspiracy theories.
• Brigitte Macron has not publicly spoken on the incident, and the exchange has reignited discussion of the couple’s 25-year age difference and the role of disinformation in political coverage.