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Macron, Starmer and Merz caught in ‘cocaine scandal’? French media debunks theories

Macron, Starmer and Merz were accused of trying to hide cocaine while on their Kyiv trip

Updated on: May 12, 2025, 13:08:48 IST
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Conspiracy theorist and conservative radio host Alex Jones on Sunday posted a video of French President Emmanuel Macron, UK PM Keir Starmer, and Germany's Friedrich Merz on a train, claiming that the three were trying to ‘hide a bag of cocaine’ when the cameras started shooting.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (via REUTERS)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (via REUTERS)

Jones claimed that three leaders were returning from Kyiv when Macron was seen pocketing a suspicious white powder, deemed as cocaine, while Merz hid a spoon.

“DEVELOPING SCANDAL: Macron, Starmer, and Merz caught on video on their return from Kiev. A bag of white powder on the table. Macron quickly pockets it, Merz hides the spoon. No explanation given. Zelensky, known cocaine enthusiast, had just hosted them. All three of the “leaders” look completely cracked out,” Alex Jones wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. He also attached a video.

As the video went viral on social media, French media issued a clarification. French newspaper Libération called the claims baseless, further stating that Macron was holding a handkerchief and that Merz had a drink stirrer, not drug paraphernalia. The media outlet called the cocaine speculations a part of a ‘conspiracy theory’.

The video was recorded during Marcon, Starmer and Merz's overnight journey. On Saturday, the French president told newspaper Le Parisien that France was convincing its partners on ways to potentially support Ukraine in its war with Russia.

"We are working on the presence and strategic footprint of the partner countries. There have been several exchanges between our British, French and Ukrainian chiefs of staff, who have coordinated the work with all their partners, and all this is becoming clearer and making progress," Macron was cited in the article.

"The key is to have troops in Ukraine," he added.

The French, British and German governments are yet to respond to the cocaine allegations.

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    Yash Nitish Bajaj

    Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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