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Becoming Brigitte

Becoming Brigitte

by Xavier Poussard 2025 332 pages
4.42
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Key Takeaways

1. The "Brigitte and Emmanuel" narrative was a carefully crafted media operation.

To promote this improbable story, intense propaganda was deployed on all media: television, radio, Internet.

Selling a story. Emmanuel Macron's rise to power in 2017 was accompanied by a pervasive media campaign centered on his unconventional relationship with Brigitte, his former drama teacher 24 years his senior. This narrative, crafted by Parisian communicators, portrayed a romantic triumph over societal norms.

Saturation tactics. The media space was saturated with stories, books, and magazine covers glorifying the "Brigitte and Emmanuel" couple. This constant exposure aimed to embed a specific, emotionally resonant narrative in the public consciousness, presenting Macron as a unique figure forged by this extraordinary love story.

Strategic contrast. This positive portrayal of the Macron couple was deployed in parallel with a media and judicial offensive targeting the conservative opponent, François Fillon, through allegations against his wife. The contrast served to highlight the Macrons as a modern, original alternative.

2. Brigitte Macron wields significant, yet legally undefined, political influence.

However, it is common knowledge that his political weight is out of all proportion to that of his predecessors.

Power without status. Despite the non-existence of a formal "First Lady" status in France, the book argues that Brigitte Macron's political influence is immense, far exceeding that of previous presidential spouses. Efforts to legally define her role have been vague, focusing on representation and charity.

Behind-the-scenes advisor. Brigitte is described as a central figure in Macron's political life, involved in strategic decisions, appointments, and even campaign timing. She is portrayed as a trusted, often critical, advisor whose opinion is sought on crucial matters, from policy ideas to staff recruitment.

Growing budget and fear. Her unofficial position comes with a growing budget for staff and activities, noted by the Court of Auditors. Within the Élysée, she is reportedly feared by advisors and ministers, with her influence extending to ministerial appointments and policy areas of interest.

3. Elite networks, particularly LGBT circles, played a key role in Macron's rise.

This centrality of homosexual networks explains the insidious allusions to the supposed homosexuality of François Fillon, the candidate of the conservative right, throughout the 2017 election campaign in parallel with the media and judicial offensive targeting his wife.

LGBT tropism. The book highlights a strong presence of individuals from LGBT networks within Macron's entourage and government, describing it as a "Macronia's LGBT tropism" that is openly claimed. This network is portrayed as powerful and influential in Parisian elite circles.

Strategic alliance. Following the "Manif pour tous" movement against same-sex marriage, militant homosexual circles allegedly recognized Macron's potential and formed a "sacred union of gays of power" behind his candidacy. This support is framed as a reaction against the political instrumentalization of the issue by the previous government.

Blackmail and control. The book suggests that this network operates partly through blackmail, particularly against homosexual individuals who have not publicly come out. This alleged control mechanism is presented as a key factor in the political landscape and the targeting of opponents.

4. The age difference narrative served as a deliberate distraction from deeper issues.

Starting with a lot of false information, deemed more acceptable by the public, the Macron operation was carried out by real communication professionals, who rewrote the narrative and delivered it to the complacent and lazy daubers, who did not carry out any verification.

Managing the problematic. The significant age gap between Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron (24 years, not the widely reported "almost twenty") was allegedly used by communication professionals to normalize their relationship and deflect attention from more problematic aspects.

Distorting reality. The narrative focused on a romantic idyll between a 17-year-old student and his 36-year-old teacher, deliberately obscuring the fact that Macron was 14 and Brigitte was 39 when they met. This distortion is presented as a calculated scheme to avoid suspicion of pedophilia.

Media complicity. The book criticizes the mainstream media for uncritically repeating the fabricated details of the meeting and the age difference, failing to verify easily ascertainable facts. This alleged lack of journalistic rigor facilitated the dissemination of a misleading narrative.

5. A "pedophile nebula" is alleged to surround the Macron circle and influence appointments.

Was Claude Lévêque's world also that of "Brigitte"?

Disturbing connections. The book points to several individuals connected to the Macron circle who have faced allegations or convictions related to pedophilia or who signed pro-pedophile petitions in the past. These connections are presented as more than coincidental.

Key figures and roles:

  • Claude Lévêque: Artist whose work was displayed in Macron's office, later accused of abusing minors.
  • Olivier Duhamel: Influential academic/political figure, close to Macron, revealed to have incestuously abused his stepson.
  • Jack Lang: Long-serving cultural figure, close to Macron, signed a controversial 1977 petition supporting men accused of sexual acts with minors.
  • Jean-Marc Borello: Head of SOS Group, close to Macron, linked to a scandal involving a center for troubled children where abuse occurred.

Influence on appointments. The book suggests that individuals with disturbing pasts or connections to pedophile networks have been appointed to strategic positions under Macron, including in the Ministry of Justice, raising questions about the criteria for selection and potential leverage.

6. Emmanuel Macron's childhood and family life are presented as a deliberate mystery.

Emmanuel Macron remains a mystery to those who went to school with him.

Black hole. The book describes Emmanuel Macron's early life, before meeting Brigitte, as a "black hole," with former classmates finding him elusive and private. Journalists attempting to investigate this period reportedly encountered significant barriers and a lack of information.

Absent family photos. A striking point raised is the near-total absence of childhood photos of Emmanuel Macron with his parents, despite the era being one of widespread family photography. The few early photos available are often institutional or without his parents.

Distant relations. Macron is portrayed as having a distant relationship with his biological family, rarely mentioning his parents or siblings in his autobiography, while extensively detailing Brigitte's family. His parents reportedly denied he was "kicked out" but confirmed his move to Paris was planned.

7. Brigitte Trogneux's life before Macron is shrouded in inconsistencies and missing records.

What doesn't come out is everything about his previous life. It's a total blackout.

Fabricated past. The book argues that the public image of Brigitte Trogneux's youth – a beautiful, sassy "pin-up" teacher popular with students – is a fabricated narrative, unsupported by photographic evidence or consistent testimonies from former classmates.

Missing documentation. Journalists investigating Brigitte Trogneux's life before 1986 reportedly found a "total blackout," with no photos available from her childhood after her first communion, her first marriage, or with her young children. School archives were allegedly missing photos from her time there.

Inconsistent accounts. Accounts of her youth and first marriage are filled with contradictions and shifting timelines, including the date of her sister's death and a niece's death. Witnesses from her past often express difficulty recognizing the public figure or claim not to have known her well despite being in the same classes.

8. The "Jean-Michel Trogneux" theory alleges Brigitte was born male, her own brother.

She had thus acquired the following conviction: "Brigitte Macron is Jean-Michel Trogneux".

The core claim. The central, controversial theory explored in the book, popularized by Natacha Rey, is that Brigitte Macron was born male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux and has been living under the identity of his sister, Brigitte Trogneux, since at least the mid-1980s.

Initial "evidence". This theory reportedly originated from observations of Brigitte Macron's physical appearance and inconsistencies found in her official biography and family records. Natacha Rey's investigation began by comparing photos and searching for the seemingly erased brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux.

Disproportionate response. The book details the severe police response to Natacha Rey's initial inquiries to a family member, including disproportionate police custody and seizure of her phone. This reaction is presented as evidence that she touched a sensitive nerve.

9. The "Jean-Michel Trogneux" theory is supported by photographic analysis and document inconsistencies.

Much lower than expected, the scores, ranging from 44.332% (low) to 65% (normal) – with an average of 57.529% (low) on a panel of 60 photos – mean that facial recognition estimates very clearly and without any margin of error that "Brigitte" is not the individual born Brigitte Trogneux of the female sex on April 13, 1953 in Amiens.

Facial recognition analysis. The author presents results from facial recognition software (Face++) comparing photos of the young Brigitte Trogneux (communion, wedding) with photos of "Brigitte" from 1986 onwards. The analysis reportedly shows a low probability that they are the same person.

Comparison with Jean-Michel. Conversely, the book presents facial recognition analysis comparing photos of the young Jean-Michel Trogneux (school photos) with photos of "Brigitte." These results reportedly show a higher probability of a match, supporting the theory that Jean-Michel became "Brigitte."

Documentary inconsistencies. The investigation highlights inconsistencies in official documents, such as the disappearance of Jean-Michel Trogneux from company records around the time "Brigitte" became a shareholder, and difficulties obtaining his birth certificate from the Amiens town hall.

10. The Macron camp allegedly employs extensive media and judicial efforts to suppress the theory.

While it would have been enough to publish a few photos of the family past to extinguish the case, the choice of judicialization provoked a "Streisand effect" of amplification internationally...

Judicial counter-attack. Instead of publicly refuting the "Jean-Michel Trogneux" theory with clear evidence, the Macron camp initiated legal proceedings against those who disseminated it, primarily Natacha Rey and the platform that hosted her video. These lawsuits focused on defamation and privacy infringement, not the core identity claim.

Media control and censorship. The book describes efforts to control the narrative through friendly media outlets, the use of a celebrity press agent (Mimi Marchand) to manage Brigitte's image, and alleged pressure on social media platforms to remove content related to the theory.

Strategic leaks and misdirection. The author claims that the Macron camp has strategically leaked information, including the false lead about Jean-Michel Trogneux being a "little fat man" jeweler in Toulon, and even allegedly manipulated the Auzière family into filing a lawsuit that the Élysée later abandoned.

11. The Rothschild connection is linked to Macron's rise and alleged manipulation.

"Emmanuel Macron is David de Rothschild's gunslinger."

Banker's protégé. Emmanuel Macron's rapid rise in the Rothschild & Cie bank, despite being described by colleagues as a "poor technician," is attributed to high-level support, particularly from David de Rothschild and François Henrot. This support allegedly allowed him to bypass hierarchy.

Strategic placement. The book suggests that Macron's move from Rothschild to the Élysée as an economic advisor under François Hollande was orchestrated by figures like Jacques Attali and Bernard Attali, with the support of financial circles, positioning him as a "hedge" or "cover" for the bank.

"Eschatological project". Some figures, like economist Gaël Giraud, are quoted suggesting that Macron is executing a program dictated by David de Rothschild, linked to a "great eschatological project" and potentially revenge for the bank's nationalization. This connection is often linked to controversial figures and alleged manipulation.

12. The core mystery points to a potential case of identity theft and family secret at the highest level.

We were therefore faced with a case of identity theft.

Identity shift. Based on the presented evidence, including photographic analysis and document inconsistencies, the book concludes that "Brigitte" is not the individual born Brigitte Trogneux but is likely her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, living under her identity since at least 1986.

Family secret. The silence and evasiveness of the Trogneux and Auzière families when questioned by journalists are interpreted as indicative of a deep-seated family secret, potentially involving identity theft and the circumstances surrounding Brigitte Trogneux's disappearance from public records.

Criminal implications. The book argues that if "Brigitte" is indeed Jean-Michel Trogneux, this constitutes identity theft, a criminal offense. Furthermore, her marriage to Emmanuel Macron in 2007, if conducted under a false identity, could be considered null and void, raising profound questions about the legitimacy of her public role.

Last updated:

FAQ

What is Becoming Brigitte by Xavier Poussard about?

  • Investigation into Brigitte Macron’s identity: The book explores the official and unofficial narratives surrounding Brigitte Macron, questioning whether she is truly Brigitte Trogneux or someone else living under that identity.
  • Political and media myth-making: It examines how Brigitte’s public image was constructed and used to support Emmanuel Macron’s political rise.
  • Controversies and family secrets: The book delves into alleged inconsistencies in Brigitte’s biography, rumors about her gender identity, and the possibility of identity theft within her family.
  • Societal and political implications: Poussard discusses the broader consequences of these revelations for French politics, media, and elite networks.

Why should I read Becoming Brigitte by Xavier Poussard?

  • Unprecedented investigation: The book offers a deep dive into one of France’s most enigmatic public figures, challenging official narratives with forensic and journalistic rigor.
  • Insight into power and image: Readers gain a behind-the-scenes look at how political images are crafted and maintained in modern democracies.
  • Controversial and timely: The book addresses ongoing rumors and legal battles, making it highly relevant to current French political discourse.
  • Broader reflections: It raises important questions about transparency, media control, and the influence of elite networks in shaping public perception.

What are the key takeaways from Becoming Brigitte by Xavier Poussard?

  • Identity theft hypothesis: The book concludes that Brigitte Macron is not the original Brigitte Trogneux, but Jean-Michel Trogneux living under her identity since at least 1986.
  • Media and legal control: The Macron family and state apparatus have allegedly used legal actions and media influence to suppress investigation and discussion of Brigitte’s true identity.
  • Forensic and archival methods: Poussard combines facial recognition technology, archival research, and testimonies to build his case.
  • Implications for democracy: The revelations challenge the transparency and accountability of France’s political and media institutions.

How does Xavier Poussard use facial recognition technology in Becoming Brigitte?

  • Application of Face++ software: Poussard uses Face++, a Chinese facial recognition tool, to compare historical and contemporary photos of Brigitte and Jean-Michel Trogneux.
  • Establishing benchmarks: The book sets reference values by comparing known individuals’ photos at different ages to interpret similarity scores.
  • Findings support identity theft: The software shows low similarity between Brigitte Macron and the official Brigitte Trogneux, but higher similarity with Jean-Michel Trogneux, supporting the identity theft theory.
  • Evidence for public scrutiny: These results are presented alongside other forms of evidence to question the official biography.

What is the "Anizon File" and why is it important in Becoming Brigitte?

  • Collaboration with journalist: The "Anizon File" refers to Poussard’s partnership with journalist Emmanuelle Anizon to cross-check photos and testimonies.
  • Key photographic evidence: Anizon obtained crucial photos, such as first communion and wedding images, which were analyzed using facial recognition.
  • Transparency and ethics: Poussard’s open approach with Anizon aimed to ensure ethical standards and counter accusations of forgery.
  • Foundation for investigation: The file was instrumental in advancing the investigation and providing credible evidence.

What inconsistencies and controversies does Becoming Brigitte highlight about Brigitte Macron’s biography?

  • Missing childhood and youth photos: There is a notable absence of photographs from Brigitte’s early life, schooling, and first marriage.
  • Contradictory testimonies: Former classmates and acquaintances often do not recognize the current Brigitte as the person they knew.
  • Manipulated or withheld images: Some family photos appear retouched or altered, and institutions have refused to release class photos despite legal obligations.
  • Opaque family history: The disappearance of her first husband and silence around her brother Jean-Michel add to the mystery.

How does Becoming Brigitte by Xavier Poussard describe the relationship between Brigitte Macron and Jean-Michel Trogneux?

  • Official family roles: Jean-Michel is officially Brigitte’s older brother, but the book suggests he assumed her identity.
  • Close but secretive ties: They served as best man and witness at each other’s weddings, indicating a close relationship.
  • Disappearance from records: Jean-Michel vanishes from public and family records after a certain point, fueling suspicions.
  • Family secrecy: The book posits a family secret and coordinated silence to protect the alleged identity substitution.

What role do media, communicators, and elite networks play in shaping Brigitte Macron’s public image according to Becoming Brigitte?

  • Media saturation and myth-making: The book details how communicators and journalists crafted a compelling narrative around Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron.
  • Celebrity management: Figures like Michèle Marchand managed Brigitte’s image through staged photos and media relations.
  • Elite and business ties: The Macrons’ network includes influential families, financiers, and cultural leaders, reinforcing their power.
  • Suppression of dissent: Media and legal mechanisms are used to control the narrative and suppress alternative investigations.

How does Becoming Brigitte address the rumors and legal battles about Brigitte Macron’s gender identity?

  • Emergence of rumors: The book discusses how rumors about Brigitte being a transgender man gained traction, especially on social media.
  • Legal actions and censorship: Investigators and journalists faced lawsuits, police custody, and social media censorship for pursuing these claims.
  • Presidential response: Emmanuel Macron publicly condemned the rumors, calling them his "worst memory" as president.
  • Analysis of evidence: The book examines photos, family records, and expert opinions, while noting the strong taboo and censorship in French media.

What is the significance of the Rothschild family and financial networks in Becoming Brigitte?

  • Key role in Macron’s rise: The Rothschild banking network is portrayed as instrumental in Emmanuel Macron’s ascent in finance and politics.
  • Political and financial backing: The book describes how elite connections facilitated Macron’s rapid career progression.
  • Controversial reputation: Poussard cites sources describing investment banking as manipulative, reflecting a cynical view of Macron’s background.
  • Broader elite influence: The Rothschilds’ involvement is linked to global finance, intelligence, and controversial projects.

How does Becoming Brigitte by Xavier Poussard describe Emmanuel Macron’s early life and family background?

  • Opaque childhood: Emmanuel’s early years are described as a "black hole," with few photos and little testimony from family or classmates.
  • Distant parental relationships: He is depicted as having a distant relationship with his parents but a close bond with his grandmother.
  • Social isolation: Former classmates recall him as mysterious and socially isolated.
  • Influence of literature: His grandmother introduced him to literature and acting, shaping his intellectual development.

What are the broader political and social implications of the revelations in Becoming Brigitte by Xavier Poussard?

  • Challenge to official narratives: The book questions the authenticity of the Macron couple’s public image and the transparency of French political life.
  • Taboos and censorship: It highlights the strong social and media taboos around discussing Brigitte’s past and the couple’s private life.
  • Legal and media control: The use of lawsuits and media influence to suppress investigation is a central theme.
  • Reflection on democracy: The book raises questions about power, elite networks, and democratic accountability in France.

Review Summary

4.42 out of 5
Average of 124 ratings from Goodreads and Amazon.

Becoming Brigitte by Xavier Poussard is a controversial book exploring theories about Brigitte Macron's identity and past. Readers find it well-researched and compelling, albeit sometimes difficult to follow due to translation issues. Many praise the author's thorough investigation and meticulous fact-checking. The book raises questions about media control, political power, and potential cover-ups. Some readers remain skeptical, while others are convinced by the evidence presented. Overall, the book is described as eye-opening, disturbing, and thought-provoking, challenging readers' perceptions of the French presidency.

Your rating:
4.66
36 ratings

About the Author

Xavier Poussard is a French investigative journalist known for his meticulous research and fact-checking. He gained prominence with "Becoming Brigitte," a book that delves into the controversial life of Brigitte Macron. Poussard's work is characterized by extensive sourcing, logical deductions, and a commitment to uncovering hidden truths. Despite facing resistance and censorship, he persists in his investigative efforts. Poussard's writing style is described as thorough and precise, though some readers note that the English translation of his work can be challenging to follow. His approach to journalism is praised for its dedication to exposing potential cover-ups and questioning official narratives.

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