Claims surrounding French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron have resurfaced in a new book alleging a private dispute during a trip to Vietnam.
However, allies of Brigitte Macron have strongly denied that any slap or confrontation was linked to alleged messages with actress Golshifteh Farahani.
The Elysée Palace has previously described the incident as “horseplay.”
Allegations reignited by new book
The controversy was revived in a book titled “An (almost) perfect couple” by journalist Florian Tardif, which went on sale this week.
The book claims Brigitte Macron “lost her temper” during a flight after allegedly discovering a message on the president’s phone from Iranian-French actress Golshifteh Farahani.
According to the author, the message allegedly included the phrase: “I find you very attractive.”
Tardif also claimed he was shown exchanges suggesting a “platonic relationship” between Macron and Farahani that “went quite far,” though no official evidence has been made public.
Brigitte Macron’s camp rejects claims
A person close to Brigitte Macron said she “has categorically denied” the allegations linking the alleged incident to any romantic or personal messages.
The source, speaking anonymously, dismissed the claims as inaccurate and insisted the narrative presented in the book is false.
The Elysée Palace has not issued a fresh official statement but has previously rejected similar reports.
When the footage of the incident first circulated, the Elysée initially labeled the reports as fake news before later describing the interaction as “horseplay.”
President Macron has also downplayed the episode, saying it was misinterpreted and insisting he was simply “joking with his wife.”
Despite the explanation, the clip gained widespread attention internationally and sparked ongoing speculation in media circles.
Author’s claims and media reaction
Tardif, speaking on RTL radio, said some messages he referenced were provided by people close to the French president.
He also suggested that Macron maintained a “platonic relationship” with Farahani over several months, though these claims remain unverified.
Donald Trump even joked about the incident in a public appearance last month, adding to its global visibility.
Farahani has previously denied any relationship with Macron and has not commented on the latest allegations in the book.
