Court Acquits Women in Defamation Case Against Brigitte Macron

Paris, France — On July 10, 2025, the Paris Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey, acquitting them of defamation charges brought by Brigitte Macron. The ruling came after the women were accused of spreading false information in a video that claimed Macron was actually a man, specifically her brother Jean-Michel Trogneux.

The video, which was over four hours long and released on Roy’s small YouTube channel, sparked a significant online buzz that necessitated a public denial from Macron during a TF1 broadcast. Following the uproar, Macron filed a lawsuit against both women in January 2022.

The court found that the 18 statements cited by Macron’s legal team did not constitute defamation and were protected under the principle of good faith. Roy’s attorney, Maud Marian, expressed her joy in the courtroom, stating, ‘We are relaxed!’ despite her clients not being present for the verdict.

This legal victory offers a setback for Brigitte Macron, who has been embroiled in ongoing controversy regarding the claims. The situation escalated further with the publication of a book titled ‘Becoming Brigitte’ by far-right journalist Xavier Poussard and reactions from various media figures, including U.S. influencer Candace Owen.

Brigitte Macron’s lawyer, Jean Ennochi, announced that she intends to appeal the decision to the Court of Cassation. Additionally, Macron is pursuing another case against several individuals, including Aurélien Poirson Atlan, for online harassment linked to a now-defunct Twitter account.