The French President's Plane Incident: A Lighthearted Moment or Something More?

A video of French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigette Macron went viral on social media. It showed a moment on a plane where it looked like Brigitte pushed Emmanuel's face. The president quickly dismissed it as a playful moment between them. He was surprised that the video caused such a stir. The video captured by the Associated Press showed Emmanuel standing inside the plane. Someone off-camera reached out and appeared to push him by the face. Emmanuel took a few steps back. Then he turned, smiled, and waved at the cameras. He confirmed the video was real. Before this, Emmanuel's office had denied the incident. The video spread online, mostly shared by right-wing profiles. These accounts often criticize Macron. Some used the video to question his relationship with his wife or to attack his masculinity. Macron, who is 47, has been married to Brigitte, 72, since 2007. They met in 1993 when Emmanuel was a student. Brigitte was his teacher at the time. Their relationship has been a topic of gossip in France. Emmanuel's parents even tried to separate them by sending him to another school. Brigitte quit teaching when Emmanuel became France’s economy minister. She also played a big role in his presidential campaign. Macron addressed reporters about the video, saying it was one of several recent clips used to spread false information. Last week, a video of Macron with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer showed him picking up a tissue. False theories spread that the tissue was a bag of cocaine. Macron's office denied these theories, saying they were being spread by France’s enemies. They warned people to be careful of manipulation. In Hanoi, Vietnam, on the same day, Macron met with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong. They signed deals worth about $10 billion. These deals were on defense, transportation, nuclear energy, and other areas. Macron pushed for more cooperation between France and its former colony. He mentioned that this was a time of great imbalance and a return to power-driven rhetoric. This visit was the first by a French leader to Vietnam in nearly a decade. Macron's next stops in Southeast Asia will be Singapore and Indonesia.