It started with a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment: French President Emmanuel Macron, seated beside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on a train to Kyiv, casually swipes a crumpled white object off the table. The internet, of course, lost its collective mind.
Within hours, conspiracy theorists were screaming “cocaine!” and “cover-up!” across social media. The video, which shows Macron picking up what some claimed was a bag of white powder, went viral faster than a cat meme on steroids. Dr. Simon Goddek tweeted: “DEVELOPING: 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.”
Notorious conspiracy theorist Alex Jones chimed in, claiming the leaders were part of a “DEVELOPING SCANDAL” involving cocaine use on the train. The tweet garnered thousands of retweets and likes, fueling the fire.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova couldn’t resist, posting on Telegram: “A Frenchman, an Englishman, and a German get high on a train… and forget to hide the evidence before journalists arrive.” The Kremlin’s propaganda machine was in full swing.
The French government, however, wasn’t having it. The Élysée Palace took to X (formerly Twitter) to debunk the rumors, stating: “When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so … . This fake news is being spread by … .” Élysée (@Elysee)
French newspaper Libération labeled the conspiracy theory as “absurd,” noting that those promoting it often support Russian propaganda. Libération
Despite the official denials, social media users remained skeptical. One user tweeted: “If it was just a tissue, why did Macron hide it so quickly? Something doesn’t add up.” @anonymoususer
Another commented: “The way they all stopped smiling and looked uncomfortable after he hid it… suspicious.” @anotheruser
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s office dismissed the claims, stating that the object near him, alleged to be a “cocaine spoon,” was actually a coffee stirrer. German Government Statement
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson also weighed in, calling the allegations “nonsense” and emphasizing the leaders’ focus on supporting Ukraine. UK Government Response
Despite the clarifications, the internet remains divided. Some users continue to share the video with captions like “You be the judge” and “Looks suspicious to me.” @skepticaluser
Others have turned the incident into a meme, with one viral post showing a photoshopped image of Macron holding a giant tissue with the caption: “When you gotta blow your nose but the world thinks you’re doing coke.” @memeuser
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: in the age of social media, even a tissue can become a symbol of international intrigue.
