False claims that Brigitte Macron is transgender resurface in Candace Owens podcast series
The theory was already debunked when a court found people who had spread the rumour guilty of libel
CLAIM
Long-running rumours surrounding Brigitte Macron’s gender identity resurfaced in February 2024 after the release of a podcast series by American far-right commentator Candace Owens.
BACKGROUND
Brigitte Macron’s gender identity has been the subject of online theories for years, but claims resurfaced about the French First Lady’s purported sex at birth following a recent series of podcast and video episodes released by Candace Owens.
The first instalment of the series ‘Becoming Brigitte’ was released on January 31, in which Owens alleges that the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron is a transgender woman.
Owens repeated claims that have been made numerous times in recent years: that Macron was born a boy by the name of Jean-Michel Trogneux. Owens said in her video introducing the series that she had received a “legal threat” from the Élysée Palace over her previous publication of the claims.
The first video in the series racked up over 4 million views, with subsequent episodes also generating millions of views each. The discourse featured in the videos was further spread via social media, both to Candace Owens’ 6.7 million followers and via other profiles following the story.
Candace Owens is a conservative activist who has become well-known over the years for promoting controversial conspiracy theories. In 2024, Australia rejected her visa application ahead of a speaking tour, with immigration minister Tony Burke saying: “From downplaying the impact of the Holocaust with comments about [Nazi doctor Josef] Mengele through to claims that Muslims started slavery, Candace Owens has the capacity to incite discord in almost every direction.”
Owens also had a visa application rejected in New Zealand, a decision that was later reversed when the government stepped in, citing “the importance of free speech”.
Brigitte Macron is not the only high-profile woman to be accused of a secret transgender identity.
Michelle Obama, Serena Williams, and Lady Gaga are among those who have found themselves the subject of unfounded ‘transvestigation’ theories — and last summer, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was launched into the public eye after her participation in the Olympics was publicly questioned by the International Boxing Association and several high-profile anti-transgender activists such as author J.K. Rowling.
METHOD
Candace Owens offered no new stories to support her arguments about Brigitte Macron, so we looked at older stories involving the French First Lady’s legal battles against people who had made similar claims.
The conspiracy theory dates back several years, first emerging when Emmanuel Macron entered the office of president in 2017.
News reports outlined one legal case involving two French women, Natacha Rey and Amandine Roy, who published a video in December 2021 claiming that Brigitte had never existed. The theory went that her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, had transitioned and begun using the name Brigitte.
The theory further centred around the visual similarities between Jean-Michel Trogneux and Brigitte Macron. However, it is not unusual for siblings to look alike.
The claim went viral ahead of the 2022 presidential election in France.
A court ruled in Brigitte Macron’s favour in 2024, finding the two women guilty of slander. They were ordered to pay €8,000 to Macron and €5,000 to her brother.
Old photos showing the Trogneux family — already well-known in France as renowned chocolatiers — in Brigitte’s youth feature both her and her brother, as can be seen in this article.
Emmanuel Macron also publicly commented on the conspiracy theories surrounding his wife in 2024, saying: “There are still some crazies.”
RATING
There is no evidence to support claims that Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman, and the theory was already debunked when a court found people who had spread the rumour guilty of libel.
SOURCES
Youtube.com. (2025). Available at: Becoming Brigitte: An Introduction [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].
X (formerly Twitter). (2025). Available at: It’s all very shocking to believe Emmanuel Macron got away with lying… [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].
Butler, J. (2024). Australia rejects visa application by rightwing US pundit Candace Owens. [online] the Guardian. [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].
Corlett, E. (2024). Conservative US commentator Candace Owens granted NZ visa after government intervention. [online] the Guardian. [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].
BBC Sport. (2025). Imane Khelif: Boxer says she is ‘not going anywhere’ following legal action announcement. [online]. [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].
Dawson, A. (2018). How Serena Williams responds to people who say she ‘was born a guy’. [online] Business Insider. [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].
Pelham, L. (2024). Brigitte Macron: Two women guilty of slander over gender claims. [online] Bbc.com. [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].
Bracchi, P. and Allen, P. (2024). The truth about the vicious rumours that Brigitte Macron was born a man. Mail Online. [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].
LARROUTUROU, P. (2024). VIDÉO – ‘Des fadas’ : le président dénonce pour la première fois les fausses informations visant Brigitte Macron. [online] TF1 INFO. [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].