Paris:
French first lady Brigitte Macron shoved husband Emmanuel Macron as they disembarked a plane during a foreign trip last year after allegedly discovering a steamy text exchange between the French president and Iranian-born actress Golshifteh Farahani, according to a new book.
The incident during the couple’s Vietnam visit last year was caught on camera, prompting speculation of a rift between the couple. The rumours were subsequently denied by the couple, who insisted that they were just “joking”.
What The New Book Said
The claim was made in a new book titled “An (almost) perfect couple” by French journalist Florian Tardif. In the book, Tardif alleged that Macron, 48, and Farahani, 42, were in a ‘platonic relationship’ for several months.
The book, which went on sale on Wednesday, said Brigitte, 73, “lost her temper” on the plane after she mistakenly discovered messages on the French president’s phone from the Iranian-French actress.
Speaking on RTL radio, Tardif alleged that even though the relationship between Macron and Farahani was “platonic”, some exchanges — which the journalist said were forwarded to him by people close to Macron — “went quite far.”
In one message, Farahani reportedly told Macron, “I find you very attractive.”
Macron, according to Tardif, also told Farahani that “I find you very pretty.”
Brigitte read a message from Farahani on her husband’s phone moments before the couple prepared to disembark their plane in Hanoi, Vietnam, in May last year.
“[This] led to tensions within the couple, which resulted in this private scene becoming public,” Tardif told RTL, referring to the infamous incident.
Team Brigitte On Allegations
A person close to the First Lady told POLITICO that Brigitte “has categorically denied” allegations that her viral moment with her husband last year was due to revelations of his purported relationship with the actress.
An individual close to the French president also told the American publication that Brigitte Macron’s team denies the allegations.
The Elysee, which had called the reports of the slap “fake news” and dismissed the incident as “horseplay,” has not given an official response on the matter yet.
Farahani, who has previously denied rumours of a relationship with Macron, has also not publicly commented on the allegations in Tardif’s book.
The French Slapgate
In May 2025, the French presidency found itself in the midst of social media turbulence after a video showed Brigitte shoving away Macron’s face in an abrupt gesture as the two of them landed in Vietnam to begin their official visit to Southeast Asia.
Macron later said the ordeal had been blown out of proportion and he was “joking with [his] wife”. Despite the clarification, the incident attracted much media attention worldwide, and even US President Donald Trump joked about it last month.
