Lip reader ‘reveals’ what French President Macron’s wife said to him just moments after ‘slapping’ him
ArchiveFirst published May 28, 2025. It may not reflect later developments.
A tense moment between French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, has gone viral after their arrival in Hanoi, Vietnam on May 25. Cameras captured what looked like Brigitte shoving her husband’s face just as the plane door opened, sparking a frenzy online.
As the couple descended the stairs, Brigitte appeared to ignore Macron’s attempt to offer his arm, clinging to the railing instead. A professional lip reader claimed she muttered “Dégage, espèce de loser” (“Stay away, you loser”) while Macron calmly responded, “Let’s try, please?”—to which she allegedly replied, “No.”
Observers noted Macron’s uneasy smile and wave to cameras, interpreted as an attempt to smooth over the awkward moment. He later dismissed the incident as playful, telling reporters, “We are squabbling and joking,” and mocked the media reaction as a “geo-planetary catastrophe.”
An Elysee official also insisted it was just “horsing around,” not a fight. Still, the candid moment has sparked speculation about deeper tensions behind the scenes of the high-profile couple.
