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French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron have filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit in the United States against conservative American commentator Candace Owens. The lawsuit, filed in Delaware Superior Court, accuses Owens of launching a prolonged, damaging campaign built around the baseless claim that Brigitte Macron is a man.
According to the complaint, Owens revived a conspiracy theory in March with a YouTube video titled "Is France's First Lady a Man?" and then proceeded to amplify the allegation across multiple platforms, including her widely followed X and YouTube accounts. Owens reportedly referred to the theory as "likely the biggest scandal in political history" and released a multi-part series called Becoming Brigitte. She also allegedly profited from the claim by selling merchandise promoting it.
The Macrons' legal team argues that Owens was the first to introduce this conspiracy to a U.S. and global audience, causing immense harm to the couple's personal and professional lives. They claim Owens' statements have led to "substantial economic damages," including the loss of future business opportunities, and they are seeking punitive damages.
A statement from the Macrons' lawyer, Tom Clare, described the content as "a relentless year-long campaign of defamation." Owens was reportedly sent retraction demands accompanied by evidence disproving the allegations—including birth records confirming Brigitte Macron was born a woman named Brigitte Trogneux. The statement also dismissed claims that she is being blackmailed or controlled by shadowy forces.
Rather than respond with a retraction, Owens appeared to mock the legal action. On Instagram, she posted a screenshot of an article about the lawsuit with a photo of the Macrons, captioned: "I will be coming for this wig today. Stay tuned."
President Macron has acknowledged the personal toll these rumors have taken. At a March event in Paris, he lamented the invasion of his and his wife's private life, stating, "People end up believing them, and it disrupts your life, even in your most private moments."
The Élysée Palace has called the lawsuit a private matter and has declined to comment further. The case now marks an unusual international legal battle at the intersection of politics, media, and personal dignity.
