Copyright newsweek
There are multiple social media posts saying that France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron, is listed under a male name in official French government records. It comes amid longstanding internet rumors that Macron was born male and transitioned later in life, adopting the name Brigitte. The viral allegations—originating from fringe French commentators and later amplified by conservative commentator Candace Owens, claiming Macron’s real name is Jean-Michel Trogneux, who is, in fact, Macron’s brother. The claim was posted by an account called The General (@GeneralMCNews) who said: “BREAKING: French President Emmanuel Macron’s wife, Brigitte Macron discovered that her tax account on France’s official government website listed her as a male under the name “Jean-Michel.” This post went viral with more than 8 million views as of Monday. Owens shared this post, and at least one other like it from a different account. When Newsweek contacted her team for comment, it was directed to Owen’s most recent post on it, saying: “If it walks like a dude, talks like a dude, and is listed in the French tax registry as a dude, then it’s the First Dude of France.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s wife, Brigitte Macron, before the arrival of the companions of Heads of State at the Palace of Versailles on November 11, 2018. (Sipa via AP Images) French authorities have said that the name “Jean-Michel” did appear on Macron’s personal tax account—but not as a result of any official documentation, because her account had been hacked and altered by outside actors. Tristan Bromet, Macron’s chief of staff, told French broadcaster BFMTV that they were “completely surprised” to find the name changed to “Jean-Michel, known as Brigitte Macron” in a section of the tax portal meant to be uneditable. The French first lady has filed a criminal complaint, multiple French outlets have reported, including TV Mag, and two individuals have been identified. The hacked profile feeds into a broader, long-running conspiracy theory—one that has been consistently denied by the Macrons. Earlier this year, President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron filed a U.S. defamation lawsuit against Candace Owens, who publicly claimed the French first lady was “a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux.” In their complaint, the couple wrote: “Ms Owens’ campaign of defamation was plainly designed to harass and cause pain to us and our families and to garner attention and notoriety” Their attorney, Tom Clare, told the BBC’s Fame Under Fire podcast that Brigitte Macron is prepared to present scientific evidence in court to refute the claims. “She is firmly resolved to do what it takes to set the record straight,” Clare said. French authorities have confirmed that the appearance of a male name in Brigitte Macron’s tax records was the result of a cyberattack, not a confirmation of any official identity.
