20.09.2025 10:30
The claim about Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, that she was "born a man," has escalated from a conspiracy theory that started on social media to an international level. The couple has filed a lawsuit against Candace Owens in the United States. The 218-page file reportedly contains documents and recordings that aim to refute the rumors.
The claim that Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, was "born a man" has gained international attention. In the U.S., right-wing podcast host Candace Owens alleged that Brigitte Macron is actually a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux.
In response to these claims, the Macron couple filed a defamation lawsuit against the rumors they described as "provably false" in the U.S.
ORIGIN OF THE CLAIMS: SPREADING ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN 2021
Rumors about Brigitte Macron's gender first emerged in France in 2021, during the post-pandemic period. Particularly far-right and anti-vaccine accounts circulated this claim rapidly on social media with the hashtag #JeanMichelTrogneux.
However, Brigitte Macron has a brother named Jean-Michel Trogneux. The 80-year-old Trogneux still lives in Amiens and had appeared publicly alongside his sister during Emmanuel Macron's inauguration ceremonies in 2017 and 2022.
LAWSUITS IN FRANCE
In early 2022, Brigitte Macron and her brother filed a defamation lawsuit against Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey, who spread these claims. In September 2024, a Paris court found the two women guilty; they were ordered to pay Brigitte Macron 8,000 euros and Jean-Michel Trogneux 5,000 euros in damages.
However, the women appealed the decision. Recently, the Paris Court of Appeals ruled that the statements in question did not meet the definition of defamation, acquitting the defendants.
The Macron family has now taken the case to France's highest court, the Cour de cassation. Additionally, Brigitte Macron has filed a separate lawsuit for online harassment. It has been reported that 10 individuals will be tried in Paris in October as part of this case.
CLAIM OF A 218-PAGE LAWSUIT FILE
Some international media outlets have claimed that the lawsuit filed by the Macron couple against Candace Owens in the U.S. is 218 pages long. According to reports, the file contains documents, photographs, birth records, images from the pregnancy period, and expert reports. It is said that the couple aims to "definitively refute the rumors in court" through this evidence. However, official authorities in France or the U.S. have not yet made a detailed statement on this matter.
BRIGITTE MACRON'S STRONG REACTION
In a statement made in 2022, Brigitte Macron said, "Claiming that I am my brother is an impossible attack on my family. Fighting against online bullying is my battle."