Kaylah Walton
It seems that Brigitte, the First Lady of France, surprised her husband, Emmanuel Macron, with an unexpected move. While aboard a plane, she playfully smacked his face right before they disembarked, leaving him in a rather uncomfortable situation. Maintaining a presidential demeanor after such an incident is no easy task, but Macron attempted to keep his composure.
Despite the French president’s team trying to tone down the incident as insignificant when they arrived in Vietnam for their Southeast Asia tour, social media quickly took notice. A clip displaying Brigitte’s impactful slap to Macron’s face became viral, garnering many reactions – not exactly a gentle gesture, but rather one that made everyone do a double take.
An airport encounter like no other
As they prepared to leave the aircraft, Brigitte’s hands landed firmly on his face, but it wasn’t the affectionate gesture one might anticipate from a couple known for overcoming public scrutiny. Rather, the moment felt charged and possibly confrontational, sparking curiosity about what transpired between the French leaders.
Macron, taken aback, stepped back briefly before recovering and waved to the photographers positioned by the stairs. They descended side by side as if nothing had occurred, but online chatter was rampant. Some speculated wildly, with a few suggesting that the video had been manipulated through digital means.
Social media users dive into speculation
As discussions surged, Macron addressed the speculation later, downplaying the encounter as a fun moment between him and Brigitte. He assured that there was no tension – just a playful exchange, in his view.
Speaking to French journalists upon their arrival in Hanoi, he dismissed claims of a marital dispute, referring to the social media frenzy as an overreaction. Frustration evident, he mentioned that this was the third instance in a matter of weeks where he had to clarify videos being twisted by conspiracy theorists. His concluding advice to everyone was to take a step back and focus more on substantial news rather than jumping to conclusions based on viral footage.
