Rumors surrounding the Macrons’ slap in the face: “Nothing will be spared us during this last year of their term.”

IN BRIEF Picture broadcast in late May 2025 in Hanoi, suggesting a slap of Brigitte Macron has Emmanuel Macron. The president had spoken of a bickering and denied any aggression. In a book, the journalist Florian Tardif (Paris Match) claims that a relationship Platonic with the Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani and the discovery of a message reportedly triggered the argument. The First Lady’s entourage has categorically denied, assuring that she does not consult the phone of the president. Commentators believe the affair is fueling the last year in office and transforms the incident into celebrity scandal. Florian Tardif invited to explain himself publicly on May 15th.

The image of the alleged slap inflicted by Brigitte Macron has Emmanuel MacronThe video, captured during the stopover in Hanoi at the end of May 2025, fueled weeks of speculation after being presented as a shocking gesture even before the presidential denial, which described the incident as “squabble”A year later, the journalist Florian Tardif, in a book published by Paris Match, offers a completely different explanation: at the root of the dispute, an alleged platonic relationship between the head of state and the Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani, which he claims was discovered in exchanges that allegedly lasted several months — an allegation immediately denied by those close to him, who refer to a denial the First Lady’s categorical statement. Media commentary, oscillating between fascination and irony, now presents the affair as a possible celebrity scandal herald of a year of mandate where “nothing will be spared us”.

Summary: Following a viral image in late May 2025 showing Brigitte Macron seemingly hitting her husband as he disembarked from a plane in Hanoi, new allegations have emerged in a book by journalist Florian Tardif. He claims that a platonic relationship between Emmanuel Macron and the Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani allegedly sparked the argument. The president denied slapping him, referring to it as a ” bickering Meanwhile, the First Lady’s entourage firmly rejects the theory that she had indiscreetly looked at the President’s phone. Media and political commentary underscores the intensity of the attacks and predicts a year of controversy for the President.

Images from Hanoi and the presidential reaction

At the end of May 2025, a photograph taken at the moment an aircraft door opened on the tarmac in Hanoi was interpreted as showing a violent act by Brigitte Macron towards her husband. The image quickly circulated on social media and in the international press, reigniting the debate surrounding the presidential couple’s private life. Faced with the rumors, Emmanuel Macron spoke out to deny the slap incident and described the incident as ” bickering “, thus attempting to quell the controversy and refocus the discussion on the travel protocol (read the president’s statement on RTS).

A year later, the discussion was enriched by new elements through the publication of a book. According to the journalist Florian Tardif (Paris Match) reports that the slap was linked to the discovery of a prolonged exchange between the president and an actress, which would explain the first lady’s reaction. These claims reignite the rumor mill and illustrate the already observed tendency to transform a private incident into a public affair.

Florian Tardif’s version and the mention of an actress

In his recently published book, Florian Tardif suggests that the dispute was triggered by the discovery of a message attesting to a months-long virtual relationship between Emmanuel Macron and Golshifteh FarahaniThe journalist describes this relationship as PlatonicHowever, she maintains that it was enough to cause tension within the presidential couple. These revelations have received significant media attention and reignited the debate on the boundaries between private life and public role.

The prospect of such a relationship — even if described as platonic — fuels speculation and alters the interpretation of images from Hanoi, transforming an apparently anecdotal incident into a potentially symbolic episode for the end of the five-year term.

Denials and responses from those close to him

Brigitte Macron’s entourage reacted quickly to the allegations. According to those close to her, the First Lady denied them directly to the author and clarified that she never check the phone from her husband, thus refuting the hypothesis of a discovery of private exchanges. This denial is reported by several publications, which emphasize the firmness of the response (see the perspective of those close to her on Current Woman and the reaction relayed by Gala).

Tardif’s account is therefore officially contested, and the First Lady, through her entourage, refuses to allow the affair to escalate into a sex scandal. She and her close associates insist on maintaining a private sphere separate from her public activities.

Media and political reactions

Comments are multiplying on television and in the press. For some commentators, like Antoine DiersThe affair illustrates the political exhaustion and vulnerability of a president nearing the end of his term. Diers believes the remaining year will be difficult and that the executive branch will have to contend with a series of incidents designed to maintain an often unflattering public image.

Joëlle Dago-Serry, columnist and life coach, sees the revelation as a transformation of the presidential image, shifting from that of a “submissive” man to that of a possible “Don Juan,” and anticipates that the actress mentioned will benefit from increased media attention. Other observers, such as Bruno Poncet Or Olivier Truchotremind us that the fascination with the private life of the powerful is an old belief, and in fact, a president who stages his relationship runs this risk more (reactions and analyses reported in particular by The Internet User and other comments).

Media scenario: from “buzz” to image strategy

This case is part of a trend where the line between political communication and personal storytelling is blurring. Press teams and media outlets exploit every image, every word, to produce narratives that can overshadow the political issues. Some believe that these controversies sometimes serve to mask theimpotence presumed to be the work of a power at the end of its term, while others see it as a simple episode in hyper-mediated public life.

Journalist Florian Tardif is expected to explain these points soon during an appearance on the Grandes Gueules program, which should provide further details — or new insights — on his sources and his method of gathering information.

A celebrity scandal at the heart of a high-profile five-year term

Despite denials, the affair illustrates how the private lives of public officials are scrutinized and transformed into media fodder. The reactions also serve as a reminder that, in the contemporary French context, the portrayal of the presidential couple has become an element of state communication, making rumors all the more prominent and difficult to ignore (an overview of the reactions and statements can be found in this summary report on…). MSN).

Whether through opportune images, journalistic rewrites, or formal denials, the succession of minor stories contributes to shaping the public perception of a presidency entering its final stretch. The coming months promise to be full of media twists and turns, and the slapping incident, whether anecdotal or indicative of a deeper unease, will undoubtedly remain a striking example.

Frequently asked questions about the slapping incident and the revelations in the book