American commentator Candace Owens recently revisited the theory that France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, allegedly changed her gender in a new YouTube video. This claim has previously circulated in the media and on social networks but lacks any evidence.
In her video, Owens asserts that Brigitte Macron was born a boy named Jean-Michel Trogneux. She also claims that the French president is threatening her with legal action. The 40-minute video connects Macron’s wife’s biography with various conspiracy theories.
These rumors first emerged in 2017 after Emmanuel Macron’s election. They were initially spread by blogger Natacha Rey, who alleged that Brigitte took on the name of her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, after a gender transition. In 2021, Rey gave an interview to Amandine Roy, who identifies as a medium, and uploaded it to YouTube, further fueling the theory ahead of the 2022 presidential election.
One of the arguments supporting this claim is a childhood photograph of Jean-Michel Trogneux, in which supporters of the theory highlight a resemblance to Brigitte Macron. However, since they are brother and sister, their similar features can be explained by genetics.
In response to these allegations, Brigitte Macron filed a defamation lawsuit. In September 2023, a French court ordered Natacha Rey and Amandine Roy to pay compensation to the First Lady and her brother.
