Emmanuel Macron Criticizes Donald Trump’s “Inelegant” Remarks About His Marriage

French President Emmanuel Macron responded from Seoul to mocking comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump. He said the remarks did not deserve a formal reply. He added they were neither elegant nor appropriate for the moment.

Trump’s comments and the White House video

The White House posted a video on its YouTube channel on Wednesday. In it, Mr. Trump moved from policy critique to personal remarks about Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron.

Mr. Trump suggested the president had been struck by his wife in the face. He appeared to cite a short clip that had circulated online.

Origins of the clip

The remarks referenced images filmed during an Asian trip. Media coverage linked the footage to recordings made in Indonesia.

Other reports identified the same clip as filmed in May 2025 during a visit to Vietnam. The short sequence shows Brigitte Macron touching her husband’s face in what some viewers called a light gesture.

Macron’s reaction in Seoul

Macron, on a state visit to Seoul that began Thursday, rejected the frame of a domestic quarrel. He previously described the moment as a brief display of complicity between the couple.

Emmanuel Macron criticized Donald Trump’s inelegant remarks about his marriage while speaking from South Korea. He judged the comments unseemly given global events.

Putting the comments in context

The president contrasted the tone of personal attacks with the gravity of current world events. He stressed that the region faces a conflict now more than a month old.

Macron said leaders should focus on lives lost, soldiers and civilians on the front lines, and efforts to reduce suffering.

Filmogaz.com