While talking to reporters in Hanoi, he said that the clip was about “joking and teasing” and called out its “attribution to all kinds of nonsense”.
A moment captured during French President Emmanuel Macron’s arrival in Hanoi, Vietnam, on May 25 has ignited a social media frenzy.
As the doors of Cotam 001 opened, Macron was seen standing alone, waving to officials and press when suddenly a hand was spotted reaching out, later confirmed to be of the First Lady Brigitte’s appearing to shove his face.
Macron, seen to be briefly stunned , retreated to the cabin and returned moments later with his wife, who even declined his extended hand as they walked down the stairs.
Official French channels and social media handles have shared clips of the President’s arrival after the said incidents, however the rest of the press was quick to take notice and the clip went immensely viral only moments after.
The President has however tried to clear the air around the recent controversy. While talking to reporters in Hanoi, he said that the clip was about “joking and teasing” and called out its “attribution to all kinds of nonsense”.
An Elysee Palace Official also clarified this while talking to Reuters on Monday, “It was a moment when the president and his wife were relaxing one last time before the start of the trip by having a laugh.”
Memes and reactions have already done their damage, with several addressing Macron as “trapped in a toxic marriage”, while some compared this to his ability to fight against Russia.
While several jokes were at the President’s expense, a few were directed at the First Lady, referring her to be dominating. Various right-wing “anti-woke” US trolls even went so far as to call her a “man”. A number of reactions also brought out about the long discussed thread of Macron being groomed by Brigitte since a long time.
This reactions stems from the presidential couple’s rather unusual love story. Brigitte is 25 years older than the French President. The two met when Macron was 15, studying at Lycée la Providence in Amiens and Brigitte, then Auziere, was a teacher at the same school.
The First Lady was married then and had three children when she grew close with Macron when they co-wrote a play together. Macron’s parents were initially disapproving of his relationship, sending him away to Paris. The two remained in touch nonetheless and got married in 2009, a year after Brigitte’s divorce when she was 54 and Macron, 29.
