French President Emmanuel Macron has dismissed a viral video that appears to show him being shoved by his wife, Brigitte Macron. The footage, filmed on Sunday during the president’s visit to Vietnam, shows Mr. Macron standing in an open doorway when a pair of red-sleeved arms reaches out and pushes him in the face.
Macron explained that the incident was simply a moment of “squabbling” between him and his wife, saying it had been misinterpreted by the public and taken advantage of by disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining him. The Élysée Palace, Macron’s office, initially described the video as the product of artificial intelligence but later confirmed its authenticity.
The controversy has sparked renewed speculation about Macron’s marriage to his high school sweetheart, Brigitte Auzière, who is 24 years older than him. Critics have pointed out that Macron was 15 when he fell in love with her and had vowed to marry her one day.
Experts say the video has been seized upon by Russia to portray Macron as weak and undermine his legitimacy as a leader. The incident comes at a time of heightened tensions between France and Russia, with Macron advocating for NATO and European unity against Russian aggression.
Russian officials have speculated that the shove was part of a “global catastrophe” aimed at discrediting Macron, while French critics have pointed out that the video contradicts Macron’s public image of toughness. Experts warn that such disinformation campaigns are becoming increasingly sophisticated and will continue to target Western leaders like Macron in an effort to chip away at their legitimacy and undermine international cooperation.
The incident highlights the growing challenges faced by leaders like Macron as they navigate a complex web of international politics, misinformation, and personal scandals.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/27/nx-s1-5413101/macron-plane-wife-shove-video