Macrons Sue Candace Owens for Defamation Over Shocking Brigitte Claims
French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte have sued Candace Owens for defamation over her podcast series and X posts falsely claiming Brigitte was born male, alleging significant harm to their reputation. The lawsuit accuses Owens of acting with malice to gain notoriety and profit, ignoring evidence and retraction demands.
French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit against U.S. podcaster Candace Owens in Delaware Superior Court, accusing her of orchestrating a “campaign of global humiliation” through false and damaging claims. The lawsuit targets Owens’ eight-part podcast series, “Becoming Brigitte,” and related X posts, which allege that Brigitte Macron was born male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, her brother’s name, among other fabrications.
The Macrons assert, “These lies have caused tremendous damage to the Macrons,” accusing Owens of “twisting their marriage, appearance, friends, and family into a grotesque narrative designed to inflame and degrade.” The suit claims Owens acted with “reckless disregard for the truth,” meeting the legal threshold of actual malice, and used the content to boost her platform’s visibility and solicit donations, amassing over 16 million YouTube views.
Despite retraction demands sent in December 2024 and July 2025, Owens persisted, ignoring evidence like public records and court rulings in France that debunked similar claims. The Macrons’ attorney, Tom Clare of Clare Locke LLP, called it a “clear-cut case of defamation,” highlighting the severe reputational and emotional toll. The lawsuit also notes Owens’ history of anti-Semitic rhetoric, including accusations of Jewish media control and “Zionist agendas,” condemned by groups like the Anti-Defamation League. In 2019, Owens controversially remarked that Adolf Hitler’s intent to “make Germany great” was “okay fine,” drawing widespread backlash.
A spokesperson for Owens defended her, claiming, “This is a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist,” and insisted she sought an interview with Brigitte. Posts on X show divided sentiment, with one user stating, “Owens’ lies about Brigitte are disgusting, justice is overdue.” The Macrons seek unspecified damages and a court order to halt further false claims, marking a rare legal move by a sitting head of state in a U.S. court.