'Concealed anger': Macron’s clenched fist after Brigitte ‘slap’ goes viral

A photo of Emmanuel Macron with a clenched fist after landing in Vietnam has surfaced, just hours after a viral video showed his wife Brigitte pushing his face.

French President Emmanuel Macron has dismissed a viral video showing his wife Brigitte pushing his face away as mere “joking and teasing," but social media users are not convinced. The speculation intensified after a photo surfaced showing Macron with a clenched fist shortly after disembarking in Vietnam.

Viral Moment Caught on Camera

A video of Brigitte Marcon pushing Emmanuel Macron's face away has gone viral. (Reuters and X)

In the short video, Macron is seen emerging from an aircraft doorway when Brigitte’s hands suddenly reach out and press against his face, appearing to push or “slap” him. Macron looks momentarily startled but quickly composes himself and waves to the waiting media. The clip soon went viral, with many insisting the gesture wasn’t playful.

Macron Responds in Hanoi

Addressing reporters in Hanoi on Monday, Macron acknowledged the authenticity of the clip but criticized its interpretation

“There’s a video showing me joking and teasing my wife and somehow that becomes a sort of geo-planetary catastrophe, with people even coming up with theories to explain it,” he said. “The videos are all real, and yes, sometimes people tamper with them, but people are attributing all kinds of nonsense to them.”

Adding to the controversy, a photo of Macron stepping off the plane with a visibly clenched fist has ignited further debate. Some social media users called it a "classic sign of concealed anger."

“Macron's left hand is in a white knuckle fist, a common sign of concealed anger. His face is also beyond serious,” one person commented on the photo.

Another wrote, “French President Macron tries to pretend to smile after the public slap from his wife Brigitte…But his clenched fist says it all—anger and embarrassment can't be hidden!”

A third person commented, "Macron tried to hide Brigitte's slap with a smile, but the Frenchman's clenched fist (rage/frustration) didn't lie..."