Trial Reveals Harmful Health Impact of Cyberharassment on Brigitte Macron

On October 28, 2025, the ongoing Paris trial of ten individuals accused of cyberharassment against France's First Lady, Brigitte Macron, brought to light the serious repercussions of defamatory online rumors on her health and personal life. The defendants face charges of spreading false claims that Brigitte Macron is transgender and that she is actually her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, deceptively portraying her identity. This misinformation, heavily circulated by far-right and conspiracy networks since 2021 or 2022, has notably led to a "degradation of living conditions" for Brigitte Macron, as detailed by her daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, during her court testimony. Auzière described how her mother is forced to exercise extreme caution about her clothing and posture to avoid further misrepresentation of her image. She further revealed the emotional toll on the family, highlighting distress caused by these rumors to her grandchildren, some of whom have been told their grandmother is a man. While Brigitte Macron was absent from the trial, she reportedly suffers significant health consequences due to the prolonged harassment. Some defendants, such as Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, defended their actions as satirical expression, with Poirson-Atlan likening the age difference between the Macrons to "state-sanctioned pedophilia." Others attempted to downplay their culpability by citing their limited social media reach. Among the accused is Jean-Luc M., a retired municipal deputy mayor, who admitted to thoughtless retweeting and faced accusations of sharing transphobic messages. The case also involves legal actions against far-right podcaster Candace Owens for propagating similar rumors. The court is expected to issue its verdict following prosecutorial sentencing recommendations, marking a potential turning point in addressing cyberharassment targeting public figures in France.