Donald Trump has been married three times, so he is no stranger to marital issues. This week, when a reporter asked him about the now-viral incident involving French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, Trump believed he had “world leader” advice to share. In the now-infamous clip, it appeared that Bridgette shoved her husband in the face right before deboarding a plane. After the shove, President Macron appeared shocked and embarrassed when he realized he was being filmed.
Marital Advice
Trump responded to the slap during an Oval Office press conference, offering advice. “Make sure the door remains closed,” Trump said, referring to how the entire moment was in plain sight of reporters.”I spoke to him and he’s fine, they’re fine,” Trump said. “[They’re] two very good people. I know them really well, I know him really well, and they’re fine.”
The viral moment took place while the Macrons were preparing to exit a plane after landing in Hanoi, Vietnam, which was the first stop in their Southeast Asia tour. Macron appeared to be surprised by his wife’s push, but noticing the cameras, he quickly composed himself. A few minutes later, the couple made their way down the plane’s steps together.
Macron Laughs Off Video
Later, after the video clip went viral, President Macron laughed it off, saying that they were “just joking about as we do.” Macron never denied that the footage was real, but he did criticize how it had been weaponized. “The videos are all real, and yes, sometimes people tamper with them, but people are attributing all kinds of nonsense to them.”
“We are bickering and joking with my wife, and a video becomes a sort of geoplanetary catastrophe,” he told reporters the next day. “In the world we live in, we don’t have a lot of time to lose [on such topics].”
Macron’s Beginnings Controversial
The Macron’s relationship began with a controversial start. The two met when Bridgette, then 39, was a drama teacher in northern France at a Catholic School. Emmanuel, 15, was a student at the school. Reportedly, Emmanuel developed strong feelings for his teacher.
During an interview in 2023, Bridgette shared that considering a relationship with Emmanuel was at first “crippling” for her because of the 24-year age gap. Once Emmanuel’s parents discovered the budding romance, they sent him to Paris to stay at a boarding school.
Macron’s Married in 2007
Despite the distance between them, they kept in contact with each other. In October 2007, 10 years before Emmanuel would become the president of France, the couple married. President Macron has worked tirelessly to coordinate a European response to defending Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
