The video filmed by Associated Press in Hanoi on Sunday night shows the Macron plane opening, revealing it. His wife Brigitte’s arms come out of the left of the open door, place both hands on her husband’s face and give her a push.
The president seems startled, but quickly recovers and revolves to greet through the open door. She remains hidden from the body of the aircraft, which makes it impossible to see her facial expression or body language.
They process the staircase for the official welcome of Vietnamese officials, although Brigitte Macron does not take her husband’s sacrificed arm.
The video clip quickly circulated online, particularly promoted by accounts that are hostile for the French leader.
Macron’s office, Initiax, denied the authenticity of the images, before they were confirmed as genuine.
Later, a nearby partner of the president described the incident as the harmless “dispute” of a couple.
Another member of his entourage minimized the meaning of the incident.
“It was a time when the president and his wife decompressed for the last time before the beginning of the trip joking,” the second source told journalists, including AFPs.
“It is a moment of union. No more was needed to feed the mills of the conspiracy theorists,” added the source, blaming the pro-ruse explanations for the negative comments about the incident.
Vietnam is the first stop on a tour of almost a week through Southeast Asia for Macron, where he will present France as a reliable alternative to the United States and China in the midst of economic uncertainty fueled by the two world giants’ Lighting the war of commercial rates.
You will also visit Indonesia and Singapore.
