What evidence has been presented to support claims that Brigitte Macron is transgender or male?
Executive summary
Claims that France’s first lady Brigitte Macron is transgender originated with online conspiracy videos asserting she was once “Jean‑Michel Trogneux,” a name that is actually her older brother; French courts initially found two women guilty of defamation in 2024 but an appeals court later acquitted them in 2025, and the Macrons have filed a U.S. defamation suit against Candace Owens and say they will present photographic and “scientific” evidence in court [1] [2] [3] [4].
1. Origin story: a YouTube conspiracy, not a forensic dossier
The narrative that Brigitte Macron was born male began with a December 2021 YouTube interview in which self‑described “independent journalist” Natacha Rey and a spiritual medium, Amandine Roy, alleged that a brother named Jean‑Michel Trogneux had changed sex and become Brigitte; that video — and a handful of viral posts reusing a childhood photo — is the documented origin of the claim in mainstream reporting, not any published medical, legal or official records [1] [5] [6].
2. Court rulings: mixed legal outcomes, not proof of identity
A Paris court found two women guilty of slander in September 2024 over the false transgender claims, imposing fines and damages to Brigitte Macron and her brother; the Paris Court of Appeal in July 2025 overturned that conviction on free‑speech grounds, saying the appellants made allegations “in good faith” — a legal decision about defamation standards, not a judicial finding about Brigitte Macron’s sex or medical history [2] [5] [7].
3. What supporters of the claim point to — and why it’s weak
Proponents have cited resemblance between photographs and an instance where Brigitte’s name briefly appeared with a male designation on an online tax portal; media reporting shows that outlets and authorities treated such items as circumstantial, explainable, or the product of hacking and misidentification rather than as proof of sex‑change, and major news organisations and fact‑checkers describe the theory as unsubstantiated [8] [9] [4].
4. High‑profile amplification, little verifiable evidence
The conspiracy re‑entered global attention after U.S. commentator Candace Owens promoted it via videos and a podcast series; reporting on the Macrons’ July 2025 U.S. defamation complaint says Owens provided no credible evidence to substantiate the claim and that the Macrons contend she ignored “credible evidence disproving her claim” [3] [10] [4].
5. The Macrons’ response: court as venue for documentary rebuttal
Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron have taken the unusual step of suing in the U.S. and telling media they intend to present “photographic and scientific evidence” in court to refute the allegation — including, their lawyer said, photos of Brigitte pregnant and raising children — positioning a legal trial as the forum to settle public record rather than relying on separate independent verification published to media [3] [4] [11].
6. Why courts and rulings are being misread online
Some social posts misrepresent the Paris Court of Appeal’s acquittal as “confirmation” that Brigitte is transgender; Reuters and other fact‑checkers state the appeals judges ruled on defamation law and freedom of expression, not on biological facts about Brigitte Macron’s sex or transition history — the court’s acquittal is a legal outcome, not affirmative evidence that the underlying claim is true [2] [5].
7. Credibility and motive: patterns of disinformation
Multiple outlets trace this claim to conspiracy networks and far‑right actors who benefit from scandal and attention; reporting frames the allegation as a tactic of online harassment that has been recycled and monetised by influencers, rather than as an investigative finding supported by verifiable primary documents or testimony [12] [13] [14].
8. What remains unreported or unclear in available coverage
Available sources do not publish any medical records, birth certificates, certified identity documents, or authenticated peer‑reviewed forensic reports supporting the claim that Brigitte Macron was born male; mainstream outlets cite legal filings, viral videos and the Macrons’ planned evidentiary strategy in court but do not present independent proof that she underwent gender transition [1] [3] [4].
9. Bottom line for readers
The public record compiled by reputable news outlets shows the allegation began as a viral conspiracy, was treated in French courts as defamatory by a lower court then acquitted on appeal for legal reasons, and has been amplified without verifiable evidence; the Macrons are now using litigation to force a public factual record and will present evidence in court — until that evidence is seen under adversarial rules, claims that Brigitte Macron is transgender remain unproven in available reporting [1] [2] [4].