French President Emmanuel Macron’s arrival in Vietnam has set social media buzzing; but not for the diplomatic reasons you might expect.
All eyes were on a playful moment between Macron and his wife, Brigitte, captured just as the presidential plane door swung open in Hanoi on Sunday evening.
In footage filmed by the Associated Press, Macron steps forward to greet the cameras, but just before making his entrance, Brigitte, partially hidden behind the fuselage, appears to gently push his face away.
The French leader looks briefly taken aback, his expression flashing surprise for a split second before he recovers smoothly, smiling and waving to the assembled press.
Naturally, the internet went wild.
Clips of the moment quickly made the rounds on X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, sparking speculation about whether the first couple had just had a private disagreement or whether this was simply a candid, lighthearted exchange between two people who know each other intimately.
Macron’s office was quick to squash any rumors of marital tension. An Elysée official dismissed the idea of an argument, explaining that the moment was nothing more than the president and his wife “relaxing one last time before the start of the trip by having a laugh.” Still, it did not help that the palace initially denied the authenticity of the video, only to later confirm it was indeed real.
Observers noted that Brigitte Macron’s body language was largely hidden from the cameras, which only fueled online speculation.
Was it a playful gesture? A subtle message? Or just a spontaneous, behind-the-scenes moment between a high-profile couple navigating the constant pressures of public life?
After the small interaction, the Macrons descended the plane steps together, smiling and composed, brushing off any whispers of tension.
While President Macron’s Southeast Asian tour promises to tackle important diplomatic and economic issues, it seems his brief, viral moment with Brigitte has stolen the spotlight at least for now.