Footage of French President Emmanuel Macron appearing to hide a white object during a meeting sparked cocaine claims online, but there is a far less scandalous explanation. This video includes ACM-produced voiceover powered by AI.
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00:00A video showing French President Emmanuel Macron discreetly removing a white object from a table
00:10during a meeting with world leaders has triggered a wave of online speculation,
00:15with some accusing the trio of concealing drugs.
00:18The moment, captured aboard a train en route to Ukraine with UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer
00:23and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz,
00:26showed Macron quickly shifting the object out of frame just before a group photo.
00:32Social media users leapt to wild conclusions, accusing the trio of concealing cocaine.
00:37French media have debunked the theory, clarifying the object was simply a balled-up handkerchief.
00:43Liberation stated that high-resolution images from AFP and AP confirmed there was no suspicious substance involved,
00:51highlighting how quickly unchecked misinformation can spread online.
00:54The leaders had been travelling to Kiev to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
01:00as part of a joint show of support against Russian aggression.