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By Shane Croucher and Mandy Taheri
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French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, have filed a defamation lawsuit in the U.S. against conservative influencer Candace Owens over her repeated claims that France's first lady is "in fact a man."
"Candace will be officially responding to this on her podcast today, as we are just learning about this in the press," a spokesperson for BCC Communications, which represents Owens, told Newsweek.
Newsweek reached out to the Macrons' legal team for comment via email on Wednesday.
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Why It Matters
Owens, who has a large following, has also drawn criticism for making inflammatory statements on a range of topics, including transgender issues. Rumors and disinformation about Brigitte's gender have circulated on domestic and international social media for years.
The lawsuit includes 22 counts against the conservative commentator, including defamation, false light, and defamation by implication. While world leaders have pursued defamation cases in the past, such legal action remains relatively uncommon.
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What To Know
Attorney Tom Clare, who is representing the Macrons, announced the lawsuit in a press release on Wednesday, July 23. The Macrons filed their 218-page lawsuit in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware. Owens' company is incorporated in the state.
The lawsuit calls Owens' various claims "outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions" and states that they have caused "relentless bullying on a worldwide scale," resulting in "tremendous damage to the Macrons."
It further claims that Owens has "subjected the Macrons to a campaign of global humiliation, turning their lives into fodder for profit-driven lies."
Owens, a popular podcaster, has repeatedly posted and shared theories about Brigitte Macron, including a 2024 X post stating, "After looking into this, I would stake my entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man."
Owens also posted an eight-part video series on her YouTube channel, titled Becoming Brigitte, which outlines various claims. Owens has around 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, with some episodes of the series receiving over 3 million views.
She has said that Brigitte was born Jean-Michel Trogneux and claimed that Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron are blood relatives.
The Macrons have repeatedly rejected the claims and have referenced Brigitte's birth announcement and family photos.
The lengthy lawsuit includes numerous social media posts and quotes from Owens' various allegations about Brigitte. The plaintiffs request "actual and presumed damages" and "punitive and/or exemplary damages."
The lawsuit requests a jury trial.
This is not the first case on the matter, as Brigitte Macron filed a libel complaint last year against two women, Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey, after they alleged in a 2021 YouTube video that she had once been a man name Jean-Michel Trogneux, who is her brother.
A court initially ordered the women to pay damages, but the Paris Court of Appeals overturned the ruling this month. Brigitte has appealed the case to the country's highest appeals court, the Court of Cassation.
What People Are Saying
The Macrons said in a statement Wednesday: "Because Ms. Owens systematically reaffirmed these falsehoods in response to each of our attorneys' repeated requests for a retraction, we ultimately concluded that referring the matter to a court of law was the only remaining avenue for remedy."
The Macrons' attorney, Tom Clare, said in a Wednesday statement: "If ever there was a clear-cut case of defamation, this is it. Relying on discredited falsehoods originally presented by a self-proclaimed spiritual medium and so-called investigative journalist, Ms. Owens both promoted and expanded on those falsehoods and invented new ones, all designed to cause maximum harm to the Macrons and maximize attention and financial gain for herself.
"Despite the irrefutable evidence that was provided to her on multiple occasions, she not only persisted but doubled down on her attacks. To make matters worse, many others have republished her lies, thereby increasing their global audience and the emotional and reputational harm they have caused."
What Happens Next
Owens is expected to respond during her show, which airs at 3 p.m. ET.
Clare told the Financial Times that the Macrons are willing to travel to Delaware to appear in person for the trial.
Update 7/23/25, 1:32 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 7/23/25, 12:10 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 7/23/25, 11:52 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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