A professional lip reader has uncovered what Brigitte Macron said moments after she appeared to push her husband, French President Emmanuel Macron, in the face during their arrival in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Sunday, May 25.
In video footage that has since gone viral, Brigitte, 72, is seen placing both hands on Macron’s face and giving him a firm shove shortly after the airplane door opened.
The unexpected moment caught public’s attention immediately.
According to The Express, a lip-reading expert analysed the footage and revealed the tense exchange.
As the door opened, Macron turned toward Brigitte and greeted her with a simple “Hi” and a raised hand. He then stepped closer before the shove occurred.
Trying to maintain composure, Macron moved to the other side and signalled to his wife with the words, “Let’s go.” He continued waving to the crowd and thanked the pilot as he descended the stairs.
However, the tension remained evident. When Macron offered his arm at the top of the stairs, Brigitte ignored it and held onto the railing instead.
As she walked past him, she was seen muttering, “Dégage, espèce de loser” — which translates to, “Stay away, you loser.”
Macron is said to have responded, “Essayons, s’il te plaît” (“Let’s try, please?”), but Brigitte curtly replied, “Non” (“No”).
His final words, “Je vois” (“I see”), seemed to signal resignation.
Though momentarily caught off guard, Macron quickly composed himself in front of the cameras.
His office initially dismissed the footage’s authenticity but later confirmed it was genuine.
Speaking on Monday, Macron attempted to downplay the drama: “We are squabbling and, rather, joking with my wife,” he said, calling the reactions overblown and politically motivated.
“People are saying all sorts of nonsense. Everyone needs to calm down.”
The couple, married since 2007, met in 1993 when Brigitte was a high school teacher and Macron, then just 15, was her student and her daughter’s classmate.
