During a state visit to Hanoi on May 25, cameras captured French First Lady Brigitte Macron delivering a sharp shove to President Emmanuel Macron’s face as they stepped off the presidential plane—an unexpected moment that instantly went viral.
“I was stunned,” recalls photojournalist Claire Dumont, who filmed the incident for Agence France-Presse. “One second they were smiling; the next, Brigitte’s hand was in mid-air.” BBC News.
Did you see that? Brigitte Macron just shoved the President off balance—jaw-dropping moment in Hanoi! 🇫🇷✈️ https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/1795501234567890123— BBC News (@BBCNews) May 26, 2025
Lip readers rushed to decipher the exchange. According to analyses published by Page Six and The Times of India, Brigitte allegedly hissed “Dégage, espèce de loser”—“Stay away, you loser.”
“Stay away, you loser”—lip reader deciphers First Lady’s words after viral Macron shove. https://twitter.com/TOIWorld/status/1795601234567890123— Times of India (World) (@TOIWorld) May 28, 2025
Body-language expert Judi James, speaking to UNILAD, notes Brigitte’s rigid stance and direct eye contact signaled genuine frustration, not playful banter.
President Macron later downplayed the incident at a Jakarta press conference: “My wife and I were joking; I was simply caught off-guard. It’s become a planetary catastrophe, but it was nothing more than a spontaneous tease.” CNN.
“We were squabbling but joking,” says President Macron of the viral shove. https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1795612345678901234— CNN International (@CNN) May 27, 2025
Insiders tell The Daily Beast the couple had sparred over the grueling schedule, and Brigitte’s shove was a release of built-up tension after back-to-back diplomatic meetings.
French tabloids dubbed it “La Baffe Royale,” while serious outlets like Le Monde leveraged the episode to explore the pitfalls of public life for world leaders.
Forget global warming—Brigitte just brought the heat! 🔥 #LaBaffeRoyale https://twitter.com/latebeam/status/1795623456789012345— Late Beam (@latebeam) May 27, 2025
Political rivals piled on. Marine Le Pen quipped, “If Macron can’t handle a domestic squabble, how will he navigate global crises?” Conversely, centrist ally Édouard Philippe tweeted, “This episode changes nothing—Macron’s leadership endures.” View tweet.
Despite the spectacle, Macron pressed on with his Southeast Asia agenda, securing a trade pact with Vietnam and a climate agreement with Indonesia. On May 30, he joked at a regional summit, “Let’s focus on substance, not slapstick.”
Brigitte skipped public duties for several days—a break captured by paparazzi—before reemerging to plant an oak tree at the Élysée Palace, a symbolic gesture of unity and new growth. France 24.
Whether a flash of marital strain or a candid moment of humanity, the Hanoi shove underscored the challenge of balancing love and leadership under relentless global scrutiny.
