French President Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia began not with a handshake, but with what many are calling a highly public “lover’s spat.”
As the French leader and his wife Brigitte Macron disembarked from their jet in Hanoi, Vietnam on May 26, cameras captured what appeared to be an uncomfortably tense exchange. In the footage, Brigitte seems to push or slap the President’s face while he visibly flinches—before attempting to regain composure and offer her his hand. She declines, clutching the railing instead, and the pair descend the stairs in silence, their expressions stiff.
What should have been a smooth start to a three-country diplomatic mission quickly devolved into a viral sensation, overshadowing early meetings and reigniting scrutiny around the famously unorthodox Macron marriage. The French President, 46, has long deflected interest in his 72-year-old wife’s role in his life and leadership—but this latest incident has thrust their dynamic back into the spotlight, with critics and commentators dissecting every frame of the now-infamous clip.
Initially, the Elysée Palace downplayed the moment, claiming it was “a moment of closeness” and even joking that the couple were simply “having a laugh” before the formalities began. But body language experts are unconvinced.
“This was no playful tap,” said Judi James, a leading body language specialist. “There’s no shared laughter or warmth following the gesture. Macron appears rattled and self-conscious, touching his face as if to assess what just happened.”
The moment, caught from multiple angles, has raised questions about the personal stress of public office and the fine line between private emotion and political presentation. Some sympathise with the couple, arguing that strained moments are natural in long-term relationships—especially under the unrelenting glare of global media.
Others, however, are more critical. “Had the roles been reversed—had Macron touched her face like that—the headlines would be vastly different,” one social media user noted. “Why is this being brushed off so easily?”
The footage also comes at a politically delicate time for Macron, who is under pressure at home over pension reforms and declining approval ratings. While the Hanoi incident is unlikely to cause serious diplomatic fallout, it underscores the unique vulnerability of modern political figures—where every gesture, however private, is captured and dissected in real time.
Whether momentary friction or something deeper, one thing is clear: the Macrons’ arrival in Vietnam has made waves far beyond the runway.