Hackers Alter Brigitte Macron’s Tax Records to ‘Jean-Michel’ in Escalation of Gender Conspiracy Theories

Brigitte Macron, France’s First Lady, was confronted with a deeply personal and troubling surprise during a routine check of her government tax profile in September 2024. Upon logging into the French tax authority’s official online portal, Macron and her chief of staff, Tristan Bromet, found that her legal name had been changed to “Jean-Michel, known as Brigitte Macron” in a section of the system that is inaccessible to ordinary users . Bromet reported the incident to French broadcaster BFMTV, stating both he and the First Lady were “completely surprised” by the unauthorized change .

This digital intrusion was not a random prank. It referenced a persistent and baseless conspiracy theory that claims Brigitte Macron was born male and later transitioned, an allegation that has circulated online for years and often resurfaces in far-right and anti-LGBTQ+ disinformation circles .

Investigators quickly traced the manipulation to two individuals, Juliette and Laurent A. from Corsica, who had entered the false name in a section of their own tax return related to dependents with disabilities, as a form of political protest . Both later admitted their actions, describing it as a “stupid and thoughtless joke.” However, the impact was anything but trivial, prompting an official complaint from Macron and a formal inquiry by the French tax authority .

French officials confirmed the alteration was due to unauthorized external intervention—not a technical glitch—highlighting the increasing sophistication and boldness of cyber-attacks aimed at public figures . The tax authority’s investigation revealed that the section where the name appeared is typically reserved for system-level use, and cannot be altered by the account holder or through normal user access .

This incident is the latest escalation in a years-long campaign of harassment and misinformation targeting Brigitte Macron. The conspiracy theory, which originated in 2021 among French bloggers and was later amplified by U.S.-based far-right influencers, alleges that Brigitte Macron’s birth name, Trogneux, belongs to a male identity and that she transitioned to her current identity as Brigitte . The First Lady and President Emmanuel Macron have vigorously denied these claims and have taken legal action against several individuals and organizations spreading the falsehoods.

The Macrons previously won a defamation case against two bloggers but lost an appeal in July 2025, when a French court cited freedom of expression as grounds for overturning the original ruling . Brigitte Macron has since announced plans to appeal the decision to the French Supreme Court. Simultaneously, ten individuals, including U.S. media personality Candace Owens, are scheduled to face trial in Paris on charges of sexist cyberbullying related to the same conspiracy campaign .

While Brigitte Macron herself is not a transgender person, the malicious rumors and cyber-attacks directed at her have significant implications for the broader LGBTQ+ community. The conspiracy’s central claim—that a public woman is secretly a transgender person and therefore “deceptive”—relies on transphobic tropes and weaponizes anti-trans rhetoric for political purposes . Such narratives contribute to a climate of suspicion and hostility toward transgender people, reinforcing dangerous stereotypes that can lead to real-world harm.

LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations in France and globally have condemned the use of gender-based conspiracy theories as political weapons, noting that these tactics not only harm their direct targets but also fuel broader attacks on transgender rights and dignity . The rapid spread of the story on social media, accompanied by memes and misinformation, underscores the urgent need for digital literacy and robust protections against online harassment .

Brigitte Macron has chosen to respond with both legal action and public advocacy, framing the attack as part of a broader campaign of misinformation that cannot go unchallenged . Her case has become emblematic of the challenges facing public figures—especially women and those perceived as gender non-conforming—in an era of digital vulnerability and targeted disinformation.

French authorities have reiterated their commitment to investigating cyberattacks and protecting citizens’ personal information . Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ groups continue to call for solidarity and vigilance in the face of tactics that seek to undermine both individual dignity and broader equality.