After far-right, pro-Russia accounts circulated a photo with the claim that French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders were sniffing cocaine, France clarified that the thing in the video was a tissue to blow the nose, not cocaine.
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France has issued a clarification after far-right, pro-Russia accounts circulated a photo with the claim that French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders were sniffing cocaine in a train.
In a display of European unity in support of Ukraine, Macron and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish PM Donald Tusk, visited Kyiv on Saturday and held talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They asked Russia to accept US President Donald Trump’s call for a 30-day ceasefire starting Monday and threatened sanctions if Russia would reject the ceasefire offer.
As they travelled via train, a video shot by the media showed Macron and Merz receiving Starmer. As they settled in chairs around a table, Macron is seen picking something white on the table and Merz also appears to swipe something on the table.
Far-right, pro-Russia accounts have claimed that what Macron grabbed was a packet of cocaine that he and Merz had been sniffing. They said that what Merz appeared to swipe away from cameras was a spoon. In reality, however, what Macron grabbed was a used tissue and what Merz appeared to be swiping was a stirrer! The Elysee Palace of France issued a formal clarification on X.
When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs.
This fake news is being spread by France’s enemies, both abroad and at home. We must remain vigilant against manipulation. pic.twitter.com/xyXhGm9Dsr
— Élysée (@Elysee) May 11, 2025
Among those who peddled the false claim were supporters of US President Donald Trump, such as Dinesh D’Souza, a well-known far-right propagandist.
Trump and his ‘Make America Great Again’ supporters have long been critical of Europe and supportive of Russia and its longtime leader Vladimir Putin. While Trump had always been friendly with Putin and critical of the support to Ukraine, he has completely aligned the United States with Russia in his second term in a pivot that has undone generations of US foreign policy.
In a post on X, D’Souza shared the video and falsely claimed, “Notice how Macron sneakily and deftly swipes it out of the camera’s view. The German chancellor Merz takes care of the spoon. Can’t have people thinking they are plotting strategy while doing cocaine together”
Three men and a bag of white powder.
Notice how Macron sneakily and deftly swipes it out of the camera’s view.
The German chancellor Merz takes care of the spoon.
Can’t have people thinking they are plotting strategy while doing cocaine together pic.twitter.com/6IWcT8ZoNI
— Dinesh D’Souza (@DineshDSouza) May 11, 2025
