French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit in the United States against conservative commentator and podcaster Candace Owens.
The legal action, filed in Delaware Superior Court, stems from repeated claims by Owens that Brigitte Macron “could be a man.”
Macrons’ attorney, Tom Clare accused Owens of orchestrating a “relentless year-long campaign of defamation against the Macrons,” which included multiple YouTube videos, social media posts, and merchandise promoting the false claims.
One of the key pieces of content referenced is a March video titled “Is France’s First Lady a Man?”, which Owens published to her audience of nearly 4.5 million subscribers. She also released a multi-part series titled “Becoming Brigitte.”
The Macrons state they had made repeated requests for Owens to stop spreading the claims, providing what they described as “incontrovertible evidence” disproving the allegations, including proof that Brigitte Macron was born a woman named Brigitte Trogneux. The lawsuit claims that despite those efforts, Owens continued to promote the conspiracy.
In addition to reputational harm, the lawsuit claims that the Macrons have suffered substantial economic damages and loss of potential business opportunities. The couple seeks punitive damages for defamation, defamation by implication, and false light, among other counts.
Owens responded to news of the lawsuit with a post on Instagram, including a photo of the Macrons and a caption suggesting she would be addressing the matter further. She later released a video dismissing the legal action as “an obvious and desperate public relations strategy.”
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This is not the first time Brigitte Macron has pursued legal remedies over such claims. In 2022, she sued two French women for similar allegations.
Although she initially won the case, the women successfully appealed and the matter is pending before a higher court, according to French broadcaster BFMTV.
The lawsuit underscores the broader impact such misinformation campaigns can have on public figures. “Every time the Macrons leave their home, they do so knowing that countless people have heard—and many believe—these vile fabrications,” the complaint reads. “It is invasive, dehumanizing, and deeply unjust.”
President Macron previously addressed the conspiracy in March 2024, saying one of the hardest parts of public office is dealing with “false information and fabricated stories” that interfere with personal and professional life.
While the Élysée Palace has called the matter a “private affair” and declined to comment, Clare stated that the Macrons’ goal is to hold Owens accountable and deter future defamation. The exact amount of damages sought was not disclosed, but Clare indicated the figure could be “substantial” if the defamatory actions persist.
CNN
