France's first couple Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte in an apparent marital dispute, claims report

A short video of French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, went viral this week, depicting what many believed to be a tense situation. The incident has sparked wild speculation and serious PR issues.

The viral video of France's first couple sparked rumors of a marital dispute, causing the French president's communications team to unravel.

The Elysée is now scrambling to control the narrative, despite Macron's claim that the reaction is overblown, absurd, and fueled by conspiracy.

According to reports, Emmanuel Macron's communications team is in disarray over the shove, with disagreements over how to respond to the commotion surrounding the viral video of France's first couple in Vietnam allegedly fighting.

What really happened in the viral “push” video?

In the disputed video, Mrs. Macron was seen pushing her husband's face and raising her hand just before they disembarked from their presidential jet on Sunday night to be met by representatives in Hanoi, as per a report by The Telegraph.

Why did the Elysée flip-flop on its response?

The Elysée first implied that it was an AI-generated video, which sparked a furor of online response. After initially denying and then confirming the footage's authenticity, the Elysée insists it was a lighthearted moment.

It acknowledged that the assertions that France's first couple was fighting were untrue.

An Elysée assistant remarked that it was a time when the president and his spouse were laughing and unwinding one final time before the trip began and it was rather a moment of closeness."

Was the response from Macron’s team effective?

Simmering "tensions within the Elysée's communications unit" were reflected in the panicked response and U-turn, according to state radio station France Info.

"When they don't, it turns into the conspiracy theory sphere, and we're in a world where there's a need for clarity so as not to let crazy stuff flourish," said another, emphasizing the urgency of their action, as per a report by The Telegraph.

How did the Elysée's handling of the video backfire?

Elysée spin doctors were having trouble setting the correct tone, according to France Info. It claimed that the Élysée "almost presents itself as a news fact-checking unit on its social networks, issuing one denial after another,” as per a report by The Telegraph.

Regardless of the underlying circumstances, Europe1 radio commentator Philippe Guibert described the response as a "very, very poor communication exercise."

"Considering how absurd it is in comparison to current events around the world, it would have been best to remain silent and wait for it to end."

Jean-Claude Dassier, another commentator, lamented a "catastrophic" public relations response to what he saw as "clearly a row" but not a state matter.

Is this really a sign of deeper marital trouble?

Paris Match, a weekly glossy magazine, defended the Macrons with an adoring photo story that featured France's first couple looking gorgeous: "Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron forget the row and get their smile back at a state dinner in Vietnam."

It stated, "Their faces revealed nothing of the controversy raging on social media and in the French media."

"On Monday evening, as part of the couple's official visit to Vietnam, Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron were beaming and at ease while attending the state dinner hosted by Vietnamese President Luong Cuong and his wife, Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet."

How is President Emmanuel Macron addressing the rumors?

Mr. Macron attacked "crackpot" conspiracy theorists on Monday night for trying to amplify rumors about his marital status.

He cited recent false accusations that he had engaged in cocaine use with Sir Keir Starmer and Friedrich Merz, the chancellor of Germany, and that he had a physical altercation with Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who grabbed his finger.

Mr. Macron told reporters that his wife and he were not arguing but rather joking, which surprised him.

He said it has “become a kind of planetary catastrophe, and some are even coming up with theories.”

People have watched videos for three weeks and think I shared a bag of cocaine, had a mano-a-mano with a Turkish president, and am having a domestic dispute with my wife.

“In these three videos, I took a tissue, shook someone's hand, and joked with my wife, as we often do. Nothing else,” he said. “None of this is true, so everyone should relax," as per a report by The Telegraph.

FAQs

Did Brigitte Macron actually push Emmanuel Macron's face?
The video is real. The Elysée later confirmed it but explained that it was just a playful moment between the couple.

Are Macron and Brigitte experiencing marital problems?
The Elysée denies any dispute, and Macron claims it was just light teasing, not a sign of conflict.