Were Brigitte Macron and her brother seen together at recent public events or ceremonies?
Executive summary
Recent reporting shows Brigitte Macron attended a public theatre performance at the Folies Bergère on December 7, 2025 with her daughter Tiphaine Auzière and was filmed backstage using a derogatory slur about feminist protesters; that same period she and President Emmanuel Macron appeared together at an Élysée reception for Croatia’s prime minister on Dec. 8 (or Dec. 9 reporting referencing Dec. 8 events) [1] [2]. Sources note her attendance at other events earlier in 2025 (an Élysée “Non au harcèlement” awards ceremony cited by Euronews) but do not document consistent, repeated public appearances with her brother Jean‑Michel Trogneux around these incidents [3] [1].
1. What the videos and coverage actually show
Footage published by French outlets and circulated internationally shows Brigitte Macron backstage at the Folies Bergère on Dec. 7, 2025 speaking to comedian Ary Abittan and using a slur about the feminist activists who had disrupted his show the night before; the footage indicates she attended the show with her daughter Tiphaine Auzière [1] [3]. Mainstream outlets — The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC, AP, Le Monde and Politico — have reported the clip and the ensuing political backlash [4] [5] [6] [2] [1] [7].
2. Events where Brigitte Macron appeared publicly with Emmanuel Macron
Reporting documents Brigitte Macron and President Emmanuel Macron together at Élysée functions in the same timeframe: AP notes they waited to welcome Croatia’s prime minister and his wife at the Élysée Palace on Dec. 8, 2025, and several outlets referenced official presidential activities in early December tied to such receptions [2]. These accounts establish that Brigitte has continued to make formal public appearances alongside the president amid the controversy [2].
3. What reporting says about Jean‑Michel Trogneux, her brother
Jean‑Michel Trogneux — the name that appears in misinformation narratives — is Brigitte Macron’s real older brother and figures chiefly in coverage as a target or plaintiff in defamation and conspiracy‑theory cases rather than as a visible companion at recent ceremonies [8] [9]. RFI and BBC reporting describe lawsuits and campaigns tied to false claims that confuse or conflate his identity with Brigitte’s, but they do not report him attending the Folies Bergère event or the Élysée receptions with Brigitte around Dec. 7–9 [10] [8].
4. Did credible sources report Brigitte and her brother being seen together at these recent events?
Available reporting does not mention Jean‑Michel Trogneux appearing with Brigitte at the Folies Bergère, at the Élysée receptions, or in the circulated backstage clip; major outlets instead identify Tiphaine Auzière (her daughter) as the accompanying family member at the theatre [1] [3]. Sources focused on the brother discuss him in the context of past legal actions and online conspiracy targeting, not as a public companion at the cited events [8] [10].
5. Why the confusion continues — misinformation dynamics
Several outlets and media analysts have traced persistent conspiracy theories claiming Brigitte was born male or is secretly Jean‑Michel; those false narratives have driven legal fights and high‑profile payouts and keep her brother’s name in circulation [10] [9]. That background explains why readers might expect reports of Jean‑Michel appearing with Brigitte — but the contemporaneous coverage of the Dec. 7–9 events does not substantiate such sightings [10] [8].
6. Political fallout and competing narratives
News organisations report immediate political reactions: left‑wing figures demanded accountability for the slur, while far‑right voices and some commentators framed the footage as private remarks “stolen” and published unfairly; Brigitte’s office called the remark a critique of protesters’ “radical method” [5] [7] [2]. These competing framings matter because they shape how different audiences interpret who was present, why footage spread, and whether follow‑up appearances are defensive or routine [5] [2].
7. Bottom line for your question
Credible sources confirm Brigitte Macron was publicly present at the Folies Bergère on Dec. 7, 2025 (with her daughter) and that she and President Macron appeared together at Élysée receptions days later, but available reporting does not document her brother Jean‑Michel Trogneux being seen with her at those recent public events [1] [3] [2] [8]. If you have seen claims that Jean‑Michel was present, those assertions are not corroborated in the cited coverage and likely stem from long‑running conspiracy narratives linking his name to Brigitte [10] [9].