The Five Shocking Claims In 'Becoming Brigitte' By Xavier Poussard: Inside The Jean-Michel Trogneux Conspiracy
The investigation into the official biography of France's First Lady, Brigitte Macron, has once again surged into the global spotlight as of December 20, 2025. This renewed interest is fueled by the controversial work of French investigative journalist Xavier Poussard, whose book, *Devenir Brigitte* (translated as *Becoming Brigitte*), serves as the primary source for one of the most explosive political conspiracy theories of the last decade. Poussard’s meticulous, albeit highly contested, research claims to uncover significant inconsistencies and a deliberate lack of transparency surrounding the identity of the woman married to President Emmanuel Macron.
The core of the controversy centers on the explosive claim that Brigitte Macron was born a male named Jean-Michel Trogneux, a theory that has been amplified globally by prominent figures like American commentator Candace Owens. While the French establishment and the Élysée Palace vehemently deny the allegations, Poussard’s work maintains that the official narrative of the Macron couple’s history is a carefully constructed façade. The recent, unverified claims of alleged legal actions taken against Poussard have only intensified media scrutiny, pushing the journalist and his investigation back to the forefront of international political debate.
The Professional Biography of Xavier Poussard
Xavier Poussard is a French investigative journalist best known for his work on uncovering what he terms "networks of power" and publishing "unauthorized press portraits" of prominent public figures. His career trajectory is rooted in the tradition of hard-hitting, independent French journalism, often focusing on figures whose public narratives are closely controlled.
Poussard began his professional career in 2012, where he was trained by the late Emmanuel Ratier, a figure known for his deep-dive investigations and controversial publications on French political and media figures. Poussard worked closely with Ratier at the publication *Faits & Documents*, a specialized newsletter dedicated to political and media analysis. This background cemented his reputation for meticulous, fact-checking-heavy research, particularly on sensitive and often hidden aspects of the French elite.
The publication of *Devenir Brigitte* (later translated as *Becoming Brigitte*) marked his most significant and globally recognized work. The book’s premise—a thorough examination of the "murky identity" of Brigitte Macron—catapulted Poussard from a specialized French journalist to an international figurehead for the highly divisive conspiracy theory. His work is presented as a journalistic investigation, leveraging official documents, witness testimonies, and public records to challenge the accepted biographical facts of the First Lady.
The Five Core Claims and Alleged Inconsistencies in ‘Becoming Brigitte’
The book *Becoming Brigitte* is not a simple biography; it is an investigative dossier that attempts to deconstruct the official narrative of Brigitte Macron (née Trogneux) using a series of alleged factual gaps and inconsistencies. The book’s central thesis is the claim that the current First Lady is a transgender woman, a theory that has been dubbed the "Jean-Michel Trogneux conspiracy" or "transvestigation."
Here are the five most significant and controversial claims Poussard’s investigation brings forward:
1. The Alleged Identity of Jean-Michel Trogneux
The most explosive claim is that Brigitte Macron was born a male named Jean-Michel Trogneux. Poussard’s investigation, and the subsequent documentary series with Candace Owens, posits that the official record is incomplete or falsified. This theory suggests that the individual known as Brigitte Trogneux, born in Amiens, France, is not the same person who married Emmanuel Macron, but rather a transitional identity. This claim is based on alleged inconsistencies in the public record of the Trogneux family, including the number of children and the subsequent disappearance of any public trace of a Jean-Michel Trogneux from the family lineage.
2. The Missing Birth Certificate and Official Records
Poussard claims to have encountered significant roadblocks in accessing certain official documents, which he argues is highly unusual for a public figure of Brigitte Macron’s stature. The investigation points to a lack of publicly verifiable records that would typically confirm a person's identity and life events, such as a fully transparent birth certificate or complete early-life records. This alleged lack of transparency is presented as circumstantial evidence supporting the hidden history narrative.
3. The 'Media Blitzkrieg' and Narrative Control
The book argues that Emmanuel Macron's rise to power in 2017 was accompanied by a carefully orchestrated "media blitzkrieg" designed to sell the public on the unique and unconventional love story between the young presidential candidate and his much older former drama teacher. Poussard suggests this intense, positive media focus was a deliberate strategy to distract from or suppress any scrutiny into Brigitte Macron’s past. The narrative of the 17-year-old student seducing his 36-year-old teacher, while controversial on its own, is presented as a smokescreen for a much deeper secret.
4. The Trogneux Family Discrepancies
Poussard’s research reportedly focuses heavily on the Trogneux family history in Amiens, a prominent local family of chocolatiers. The investigation attempts to identify discrepancies in the number of siblings and the public existence of all family members, arguing that the official story of the Trogneux lineage does not align with the existence of both a male and female child with similar birth years. The complexity of the large Trogneux family is presented as a perfect environment for a strategic identity shift to occur and be obscured.
5. The Alleged Targeting of Critics
The most recent and concerning claim is not contained within the original book, but is a direct consequence of its publication. Poussard and his collaborators, notably Candace Owens, have alleged that the political establishment has actively sought to silence the investigation. This includes the dramatic, unverified claim that Brigitte Macron’s team allegedly used foreign, specifically Italian, police to target Poussard following the release of the documentary series. This allegation of using state power against a journalist, while unproven, serves to reinforce the narrative that the First Lady is "viciously hunting" those who question her official story, further fueling the conspiracy’s reach.
The Global Ripple Effect and Latest Legal Controversies
The publication of *Devenir Brigitte* and its subsequent promotion in the United States by Candace Owens has transformed a French fringe theory into a major international political talking point. This amplification has led to the theory being widely spread across social media platforms, resulting in significant real-world legal action.
The French judicial system has responded to the spread of the conspiracy with severity. In a separate, but related, development, at least ten individuals have faced trial in Paris accused of cyberbullying and spreading false conspiracy theories about the First Lady’s gender. These legal proceedings underscore the seriousness with which the French government and Brigitte Macron herself treat the claims, which they categorize as defamatory and baseless fake news. The trial and the global media attention on the alleged police targeting of Poussard highlight the high-stakes battle over narrative control between a powerful political figure and an independent investigative journalist.
For Xavier Poussard, the controversy surrounding *Becoming Brigitte* is a validation of his focus on the "hidden life" of the French elite. His work, whether viewed as meticulous investigative journalism or the foundation of a destructive conspiracy theory, has successfully forced the question of transparency and biographical authenticity into the public domain. The English translation and the continued promotion of the work ensure that the claims of Jean-Michel Trogneux and the inconsistencies in the official Brigitte Macron story will remain a highly charged and debated topic for the foreseeable future. The ongoing legal battles and the recent, dramatic accusations of political targeting are the latest chapters in a story that continues to challenge the established facts of the French First Lady’s life.
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