The world was left stunned last week after a video went viral showing French President Emmanuel Macron appearing to be slapped—or at least abruptly pushed in the face—by his wife, Brigitte Macron, upon their arrival in Vietnam on May 27, 2025.
The footage, captured as the presidential couple disembarked from their plane in Hanoi, spread rapidly across social media platforms and news outlets, triggering a wave of global reactions. Initially dismissed as fake by the Elysée Palace, the video was later confirmed to be authentic. A presidential spokesperson described the incident as a “private, affectionate interaction” and said the couple was simply “decompressing” after a long flight.
President Macron later addressed the matter himself, calling the reaction “nonsense” and accusing the media of sensationalizing trivial moments while ignoring more pressing global issues. Still, the video touched a nerve. Public discussion over the past week has intensified, with many questioning the nature of the interaction and the implications it carries.
The incident has reignited debates around gender dynamics and domestic violence double standards. Critics argue that if the roles had been reversed—if a male leader had made such a gesture toward his wife—it would have likely resulted in far harsher public backlash and potential political fallout.
International commentary has not been scarce. On the American talk show The View, co-host Whoopi Goldberg defended the couple, condemning the speculation about their private lives and calling for greater perspective when interpreting such moments. Meanwhile, European tabloids and columnists have published a flurry of op-eds ranging from defending Brigitte’s spontaneity to questioning the optics of the exchange.
The Macrons’ relationship has long drawn attention due to their 25-year age gap and the circumstances of their meeting—Brigitte was Emmanuel’s high school drama teacher. The Vietnam incident has reignited both curiosity and critique regarding the couple’s dynamic, with online forums and mainstream media alike dissecting every frame of the viral clip.
As of this week, the video continues to circulate online, trending across platforms and spawning countless memes and commentary threads. While the Macrons have attempted to move past the moment, it has, at least temporarily, become another chapter in the ongoing story of how personal relationships intersect with the public lives of global leaders.
