A brief moment between French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron captured on video is making headlines, after what appeared to be a playful shove to the president’s face sparked online buzz as the couple began their Southeast Asia tour, as per NBC News.
The incident occurred Sunday as the Macrons stood in the open doorway of their plane upon arrival in Vietnam. In the video, President Macron is seen smiling and waving to onlookers when a hand appears to gently push his face. The president momentarily pauses, turns back to face outward, then resumes waving and steps out of frame.
Though the individual responsible was largely out of view, the hand appeared to belong to someone wearing a suit jacket matching the one Brigitte Macron wore when she exited the plane moments later alongside her husband. The couple did not address the moment publicly, though Macron was seen offering his arm to his wife, which she declined.
An official from the Élysée Palace downplayed the interaction, telling Reuters that the couple had simply been “having a laugh.”
“It was a moment when the president and his wife were relaxing one last time before the start of the trip,” the official said, calling it “a moment of closeness.”
Brigitte Macron, 72, and Emmanuel Macron, 47, have been married since 2007 and are known for their close and often publicly affectionate relationship.
The light-hearted moment comes as President Macron embarks on a significant diplomatic visit — the first by a French president to Vietnam in nearly a decade. The visit aims to strengthen France’s political and economic ties in Southeast Asia, particularly with its former colony.
On Monday, France and Vietnam signed a major deal for the purchase of 20 Airbus aircraft, along with agreements in defense and space cooperation. The deals reflect a broader French strategy to expand its influence in the region amid growing global competition.
The visit also comes on the heels of renewed trade tensions between the U.S. and the European Union. Last Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 50% tariffs on EU goods starting June 1, though that deadline has now been extended to July 27.
