French President Macron allegedly slapped by wife after flirty texts to Iranian actress, new book claims

A new book about Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, has reignited speculation over a viral incident in which the French president appeared to be slapped by his wife before stepping off a plane in Vietnam last year.

According to New York Post, journalist Florian Tardif claimed in his new book that tensions allegedly arose after Brigitte Macron saw messages exchanged between Macron and Iranian-born actress Golshifteh Farahani.

The book, titled A (Nearly) Perfect Couple, was reportedly released this week.

Book alleges messages caused tensions between couple

According to Tardif, Macron allegedly exchanged messages with Farahani over several months as part of what the author described as a “platonic relationship.”

Among the alleged messages cited in the reports was one in which Macron reportedly told the actress, “I find you very pretty.”

Tardif claimed the messages later caused tensions within the couple, eventually culminating in the viral confrontation aboard the presidential plane in Hanoi in May 2025.

“What hurt Brigitte was not so much the contents of the message as what it hinted at,” the book reportedly stated.

“She saw herself being erased,” Tardif reportedly quoted one of Brigitte Macron’s friends as saying.

Macron’s team previously said couple were ‘joking around’

The incident attracted international attention last year after footage appeared to show Brigitte Macron pushing or slapping her husband in the face moments before they disembarked from a plane in Vietnam.

At the time, Macron’s team initially attempted to dismiss speculation surrounding the clip.

According to the NY Post, Macron’s team first suggested the footage may have been AI-generated before later insisting the couple had simply been joking around.

“It was a moment when the president and his wife were unwinding one last time before the start of the trip by joking around,” a close associate of Macron reportedly said at the time.

Macron himself later downplayed the incident and urged people to “calm down.”

Brigitte Macron’s representatives deny allegations

Representatives for Brigitte Macron have since denied the latest claims made in Tardif’s book.

According to Le Parisien, they said Brigitte Macron had “categorically denied” the account and insisted she never checks her husband’s mobile phone.

Farahani has also repeatedly denied rumours of a romantic relationship with Macron.

“I think that there is a lack of love for some people and they need to create romances like this to fill the void,” she reportedly told French outlet Le Point earlier this year.

According to Politico, a person close to the First Lady told them, on the condition of anonymity, that Brigitte "has categorically denied" allegations that the incident with her husband last year was due to revelations of his purported relationship with an actress.

The Elysee Palace did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the NY Post.