In a Paris criminal court, a high-profile trial commenced this week, targeting 10 individuals accused of defaming France's first lady, Brigitte Macron, and causing her emotional and physical turmoil, as the U.S. Sun reports. For years, online conspiracy theorists and certain right-wing voices have spread baseless claims questioning her gender, causing significant personal harm.
Brigitte, 72, alongside President Emmanuel Macron, initiated a defamation lawsuit in the summer of 2025 to affirm her identity as a biological woman. These malicious rumors, propagated by figures across the globe, have taken a toll on her well-being.
The defendants, aged 41 to 60, face charges for cyberbullying and harassment over accusations tying Brigitte’s 24-year age gap with her husband to pedophilia. Such claims, amplified by digital platforms, showcase the darker side of unchecked online speech.
On the trial’s opening day, only seven of the 10 accused appeared at the Paris Correctional Court. Three defendants skipped the proceedings, perhaps signaling disregard for the gravity of their alleged actions.
Among those present was Delphine J., 51, a self-described spiritual medium known as Amandine Roy. She has claimed Brigitte was once a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux, a name tied to Brigitte’s brother.
Roy further alleged that Brigitte’s first husband, André-Louis Auzière, who passed away in 2020 at 68, never existed. Such outlandish assertions highlight how far some will stretch fiction in the name of attention.
Another defendant, Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, 41, operates online as “Zoe Sagan,” peddling various conspiracy theories. His presence in court underscores the diverse backgrounds of those entangled in this legal battle over digital defamation.
All defendants deny any misconduct, arguing their free speech rights are under attack for criticizing a prominent figure in Paris’s political elite. While speech must be protected, one wonders if slander should enjoy the same shield.
Juan Branco, defense barrister for Poirson-Atlan, said: “The prosecution was ‘taking an obvious political direction.’” Isn’t it curious how cries of politicization emerge when accountability for online venom finally knocks?
The rumors about Brigitte’s gender trace back to 2021, when France’s far-right magazine Faits et Documents published them, fueling a wildfire of speculation. Digital echo chambers have since kept the falsehoods alive with alarming persistence.
Brigitte filed a specific cyberbullying complaint on Aug. 27, an offense carrying a potential two-year prison sentence. This legal step reflects a desperate push to reclaim dignity from the internet’s cruel underbelly.
Jean Ennochi, representing Mrs. Macron, said: “The accused could face two years behind bars for alleged ‘cyberbullying.’” Yet, in a world where President Donald Trump champions free expression, should such penalties chill honest debate?
In March of this year, American political pundit Candace Owens joined the fray, boldly claiming Brigitte was born male and linked to her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux. Her assertion that Brigitte’s first husband was a myth further stoked the controversy.
By July, Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron escalated their fight with a defamation filing, determined to prove her lifelong identity as a woman. Their resolve signals a broader stand against digital character assassination.
As the Paris trial, expected to wrap up on Oct. 28, continues, it raises a critical question for conservatives everywhere. How do we balance free speech with the need to curb destructive lies in an era of viral misinformation?
