COUPLESBrigitte Macron Slapped Husband Emmanuel Over French President's Alleged Affair With Actress, Bombshell Book Claims
A new book is giving more insight into the slap between Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron.
May 13 2026, Published 2:21 p.m. ET
It was the slap heard around the world when Brigitte Macron allegedly smacked husband and French president Emmanuel Macron on a plane last year.
A new book is now claiming she slapped him due to his alleged affair with Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani.
New Book Alleged Emmanuel Macron Was Texting Actress Golshifteh Farahani
Emmanuel Macron allegedly exchanged messages with Golshifteh Farahani.
According to Paris Match journalist Florian Tardif's book, Un Couple (Presque) Parfait (An (Almost) Perfect Couple), Brigitte, 73, whacked Emmanuel, 48, while they were getting off their plane on a state visit to Vietnam in May 2025 after she saw text messages between the politician and Golshifteh, 43.
The book explained the texts made the former schoolteacher afraid Emmanuel might leave her for the Body of Lies star.
“Brigitte saw herself being erased," the book noted.
Brigitte Macron Denied Smacking Her Husband Due to the Alleged Messages
Brigitte Macron smacked her husband Emmanuel in May 2025 when they were getting off a plane after landing in Vietnam.
A source told French newspaper Le Parisien that Brigitte “categorically denied” slapping her husband because of the messages when she was interviewed by Florian earlier this year.
The insider added Brigitte “never looks into her husband’s phone."
Golshifteh denied rumors of a romantic liaison with the French lawmaker, with Florian noting in his novel their relationship was simply "platonic."
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Book Author Claimed Emmanuel Macron's Relationship With Golshifteh Farahani Was 'Platonic'
Golshifteh Farahani and the French president allegedly had a friendly relationship.
Florian then stated in an interview with RTL radio to promote his new book how the messages Emmanuel reportedly sent to Golshifteh were flirty in nature.
"The president of the republic maintained a platonic relationship with the actress for several months," he said. "That is what I was told, that is what I was told again and again."
“[The messages] went quite far … such as ‘I find you very pretty,'" Florian said. "Everything in the book is facts, facts and only facts."
The author also revealed when he interviewed Brigitte for his biography, she addressed the plane slap.
Emmanuel Macron Said He Was Just 'Joking' With His Wife During Plane Incident
Brigitte Macron told Florian Tardif for his book she was merely pushing her husband away after their fight on the jet.
She noted she was “very tired” after the hard flight, adding: "There was a lot of turbulence during the flight, which stopped me sleeping. Right then, I didn’t want to get out [of the aircraft]. He tried to make me laugh. He gave me some water and I pushed him away.”
According to the French magazine Voici, Emmanuel was having fun with his bodyguards on the jet and jokingly threatened to pour water on them.
“You’d better not get me wet. I’ve just got dressed,” Brigitte told her husband at the time.
“My wife and I were squabbling, we were rather joking and I was taken by surprise," Emmanuel said in a statement last year after a video of the incident went viral.
