Candace Owens has wagered her career that French President Emmanuel Macron’s wife was born a man.
The controversial conservative commentator took to X to tout the false theory, hours after outlining it on an episode of her podcast.
It goes that French First Lady Brigitte Macron, 70, was actually born Jean-Michel Trogneux, before eventually transitioning at age 30.
It further states that she did not give birth to any of her three children, and that her first husband, a 69-year-old retired banker said to have died a recluse in 2020, never existed.
The conspiracy stems from an completely false claim made by far-Right magazine Faits et Documents (Facts & Documents), after Macron, 46, was elected.
But the debate was reignited last month after Emmanuel Macron’s step-daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, gave an interview to Paris Match in which she addressed claims that her mother Brigitte was born male.
Ms Auzière was just 10 when she found out that her teacher mum was seeing a pupil 25 years younger than her.
‘I have concerns about the level of society when I hear what is circulating on social networks about my mother being a man,’ she said.
Still, Owens on Tuesday revived the speculation, before laying into those who disagree.
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Candace Owens on Tuesday said that she would be willing to bet her career that French President Emmanuel Macron’s wife was born a man.
President Macron with his wife, Brigitte Trogneux, in Paris on February 22, 2017
Emmanuel Macron’s step-daughter says she is still wounded by her mother’s ‘forbidden relationship’ with the future French president – and also addresses bizarre rumour that Brigitte was born male
‘After looking into this, I would stake my entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man,’ Owens, 34, wrote on the platform formerly known as Twitter, linking to the episode from the night before.
‘Any journalist or publication that is trying to dismiss this plausibility is immediately identifiable as establishment,’ she charged.
‘I have never seen anything like this in my life. The implications here are terrifying.
‘I do not intend to let up on this story and I am calling on other journalists to look into this explosive story and report accordingly.’
The night before, she pulled up a 2021 Daily Mail article that debunked the speculation, before speaking in-depth about the theory surrounding the French head of state’s spouse.
Dismissing the opinions of several seasoned experts interviewed for the piece, Owens presented the so-called findings from what she said was a ‘three-year’ investigation from the publication.
She further argued that if Brigitte really wanted to debunk the claims, she could simply release photos from the first 30 years of her life.
Owens also analyzed a rare family photo of Brigitte Macron’s family when she was a child, claiming she was a ‘dead ringer’ for her older brother – before asserting that they were the same person.
The theory goes that French First Lady Brigitte Macron, 70, was actually born Jean-Michel Trogneux – the name of her older brother – before eventually transitioning at age 30
Owens also analyzed a rare family photo of Brigitte Macron’s family when she was a child, claiming she (seen at center on her mother’s knew) was a ‘dead ringer’ for her older brother Jean-Michel Trogneux (at left) – before asserting that they were the same person
She went on to produce a ‘before-and-after photo’ allegedly used as a part of Faits et Documents investigation – one that used Chinese software to cite similarities between an undated photo of Brigitte’s brother and the first lady herself
She went on to tell her followers why she thinks this theory ‘has legs’, due to the fact that the First Lady (seen here as a child) has refused to produce other photos of herself before age 30
‘[The] theory is that the first lady Brigitte Macron was actually born Jean-Michel [Trogneux] – so Brigitte is actually Jean-Michel.
‘Jean-Michel lived as a man for 30 years, fathered five children, OK, and then transitioned at the age of 30 to become Brigitte.
She went on to produce a ‘before-and-after photo’ allegedly used as a part of Faits et Documents investigation – one that used Chinese software to cite similarities between an undated photo of Brigitte’s brother and the first lady herself.
Owens in turn categorized the comparison as a dead ringer, telling her roughly three million subscribers: ‘It’s crazy to me that you would not say that these two individuals look alike.’
She went on to tell her followers why she thinks this theory ‘has legs’.
The first obvious thing,’ she said, ‘is the first lady is simply unable to produce any photos of herself throughout the first 30 years of her life.
‘Guys, how easy to debunk this – if you say Candace, no, actually you lived as a man for 30 years, I’ve lived 30 years: I’m going to show you every photo of every year that I’ve lived.’
She went on to produce several photos of her throughout various stages of her life to illustrate her point.
‘Here’s me in college right, here’s me while I was pregnant with my children. Here’s me and my husband on our wedding day.
The conspiracy stems from an unfounded claim made by far-Right magazine Faits et Documents (Facts & Documents), after Macron, 46, was elected. Still, Owens on Tuesday stayed stalwart with her speculation
‘There would be so many photos that Brigitte should have at her disposal if this is false,’ she charges, but they won’t produce any.
‘Nope – they’re just calling everybody wrong and backwards and transphobic. Just produce the photos.’
‘Instead, the only photos they have produced that are circulating in the media are the photos that I just showed you,’ she added, citing the photos that show Brigitte’s brother Jean-Michel Trogneux as a child, and a young Brigitte as well.
‘And, as I said, the first photo she looks more like the Jean-Michel who she claims is actually her brother, who she won’t just present to the public,’ Owens went on.
‘If that is in fact your brother, please just go on a walk with him so we can capture it.’
Owens’ remarks came days after a visibly fed-up Macron finally address the rumors at an International Women’s Day event on Friday, saying, ‘The worst thing is the false information and fabricated scenarios.’
‘People eventually believe them and disturb you, even in your intimacy,’ he further claimed.
He added the transgender claims about Macron were typical of misogynistic online attacks that women have to put up with every day.
The first obvious thing,’ Owens said, ‘is the First Lady is simply unable to produce any photos of herself throughout the first 30 years of her life
Owens’ remarks came days after a visibly fed-up Macron finally address the rumors about his much older spouse Friday, saying, ‘The worst thing is the false information and fabricated scenarios’
Two women who claimed the Première Dame was born a man were punished with ‘symbolic fines’ reduced on appeal last June.
In turn, both claimed they were subjected to ‘intimidation by the authorities’ as ‘ultra protected’ members of the Paris establishment tried to cover up a ‘state secret’.
All parties to the case accepted the fines handed down on appeal as a final settlement to what had become a huge embarrassment to the First Couple.
The transphobic rumors about Brigitte Macron were first picked up by the far-Right in 2022, while the President was campaigning for re-election.
Groups including the Yellow Vests (Gilets Jaunes) and those protesting against Covid vaccines went on to use the claims to attack the French.
Meanwhile, videos produced by journalists touting the comparisons – much as Owens did – have since been removed from YouTube.
Daily Mail has reached out to President Macron’s office for comment.