Did Macron's wife's slap cast a shadow over his official visit to Vietnam?

The official visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Vietnam sparked widespread discussions on the internet due to an unexpected moment. On Monday, May 26, when the French leader arrived in Vietnam, footage showed his wife Brigitte Macron lightly touching his face with her hand, and this was interpreted as a “slap.”

Officials from the Élysée Palace explained the incident, describing it as “a playful moment between the president and his wife, a joke before the trip.” Emmanuel Macron himself also commented, asking not to take it seriously and emphasizing that it was not a family quarrel.

In the circulated video footage, it appears that the president noticed he was being filmed and responded with a smile and a wave. The couple descended the stairs together, but Brigitte Macron’s refusal to hold her husband’s hand was also captured on camera.

This situation was not ignored by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova either. On her Telegram channel, she wrote: “When the president’s plane landed in Hanoi, the whole world saw Macron receive a slap from his wife. But the most interesting thing is how the Élysée Palace will come up with a way to ‘wrap up’ this next Emmanuel-gate.”

French media, on the other hand, took the incident without excessive seriousness, describing it as a part of the warm and sincere interaction between the president and his spouse. At the same time, different opinions arose among fans and critics. Some considered it inconsistent with official protocol, while others saw this “lively” interaction as a sign of human closeness.

In the coming days, Macron’s official meetings, political negotiations, and the documents to be signed as part of his visit to Vietnam are expected to be in the spotlight. However, this controversial “episode” at the start of the visit has already drawn the attention of global media.