French President Emmanuel Macron got a startling welcome in Vietnam — not from officials, but from his wife. As the presidential jet touched down in Hanoi on Monday, cameras captured what appeared to be Brigitte Macron playfully smacking her husband’s face just as he emerged from the aircraft.
The now-viral clip, released by the Associated Press, shows Macron stepping out of the plane before two arms suddenly reach from the side and press against his face. Visibly surprised, the 47-year-old president momentarily freezes, then quickly regains composure and offers a nervous wave to the crowd below.
🟡 BODY LANGUAGE ANALYSIS OF BRIGITTE SHOVING EMMANUELLE MACRON’S FACE
(1/7) Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron were arriving in Vietnam when the cameras captured this interaction.
But was it an actual, aggressive gesture, or was something else? let’s find out… pic.twitter.com/HCMdtBk2nu
— Jesús Enrique Rosas – The Body Language Guy (@Knesix) May 26, 2025
While only Brigitte’s arms are seen in the video, the gesture appeared unmistakably blunt. According to Daily Mail, her body language spoke volumes, especially when she later refused her husband’s outstretched arm as the pair descended the aircraft stairs for the official welcome ceremony.
Initially, the Élysée Palace tried to downplay the moment, even questioning the clip’s authenticity. But with media attention mounting, officials admitted the footage was real, describing it as a lighthearted, behind-the-scenes moment between the couple. One aide chalked it up to “a relaxed bit of banter” between the Macrons, calling the exchange a sign of their closeness.
Another source from Macron’s entourage labeled it a display of “cohesion,” while also accusing pro-Russian social media accounts of blowing the incident out of proportion to fuel online misinformation.
From Personal Drama to Political Diplomacy
Despite the unexpected drama on the tarmac, Macron quickly shifted focus to the business at hand. His week-long tour of Southeast Asia kicked off with a string of diplomatic events, including a major agreement between VietJet and Airbus for the purchase of 20 A330 aircraft.
During his first day in Vietnam, the French leader also delivered a speech emphasizing France’s commitment to a “rules-based international order,” positioning Paris as a stable alternative to both Washington and Beijing.
Even so, it’s the moment at the airplane door that’s stolen the spotlight — a split-second of marital spontaneity that’s now being dissected worldwide. Whether playful or pointed, Brigitte’s gesture left an impression that no one — least of all her husband — saw coming.
