French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron Sue Candace Owens for Defamation Over False Gender Claims

On June 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit in the Delaware Superior Court in the United States against right-wing podcaster Candace Owens. The lawsuit stems from Owens' yearlong campaign alleging that Brigitte Macron, France's First Lady, is a man. Owens revived this conspiracy theory in March with a YouTube video titled "Is France's First Lady a Man," which she promoted widely on her social media platform X.

Owens has since produced multiple videos for her nearly 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, including a multipart series called "Becoming Brigitte," and sold merchandise promoting the false claim. The Macrons assert that Owens was the first to bring these baseless allegations to U.S. and international audiences. They claim the defamation has caused substantial economic damages, including loss of future business opportunities, and seek punitive damages against Owens and her businesses.

The lawsuit includes incontrovertible evidence disproving Owens' allegations, such as that Brigitte Macron was born a woman named Brigitte Trogneux, is not a blood relative of Emmanuel Macron, and that the Macrons are not controlled or blackmailed by any CIA-linked program.

Owens responded on Instagram with a post referencing the lawsuit and a photo of the Macrons, captioned, "I will be coming for this wig today Stay tuned." The Macrons describe the claims as "vile fabrications" that have caused tremendous damage, stating, "Every time the Macrons leave their home, they do so knowing that countless people have heard, and many believe, these vile fabrications. It is invasive, dehumanizing, and deeply unjust." CNN reached out to Owens for comment.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit in Delaware Superior Court against right-wing podcaster Candace Owens on Wednesday, June 2025. The lawsuit addresses Owens' yearlong campaign of defamatory claims asserting Brigitte Macron was born a man. Owens revived this conspiracy theory in March 2025 with a widely promoted YouTube video titled "Is France's First Lady a Man," reaching her nearly 4.5 million subscribers and disseminated further on social media platform X.

The complaint states Owens produced multiple videos, including a series called "Becoming Brigitte," and sold merchandise promoting these false claims. The Macrons' legal filing asserts Owens was the first to bring these baseless allegations to the US media and an international audience, causing substantial economic damage and loss of future business opportunities for the couple.

In responding to the lawsuit, Owens posted on Instagram a screenshot of an article about the Macrons' suit alongside a picture of the couple, captioned, "I will be coming for this wig today Stay tuned."

The lawsuit includes incontrovertible evidence disproving Owens’ allegations, such as proof that Brigitte Macron was born a woman named Brigitte Trogneux, is not related by blood to Emmanuel Macron, and that neither the Macrons nor the President are controlled or blackmailed by unknown forces or a CIA-linked program. The Macrons describe the claims as "vile fabrications" causing "tremendous damage," invading their privacy and dignity. They are seeking punitive damages against Owens and her associated business entities for the defamation.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, First Lady Brigitte Macron, filed a defamation lawsuit against right-wing influencer Candace Owens in Delaware Superior Court on Wednesday. The lawsuit centers on Owens' false claim that Brigitte Macron, aged 72, was born male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, which is actually the name of her older brother. The Macrons allege that Owens has conducted a campaign of global humiliation and relentless bullying to promote her podcast and increase her fan base by spreading these lies. The complaint states that the Macrons live with the reality that many people have heard and some believe these fabrications, describing them as invasive, dehumanizing, and deeply unjust. The suit contains 22 counts and seeks an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages. Owens had not responded to requests for comment, and the Macrons' office declined to comment. This lawsuit is notable as a rare defamation case filed by a world leader in the U.S. Defamation law requires public figures like the Macrons to prove actual malice—meaning Owens knew the claims were false or showed reckless disregard for the truth.

On July 23, 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit in Delaware Superior Court against U.S. right-wing podcaster Candace Owens. Owens had propagated false claims that Brigitte Macron was born a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux, the name of her older brother. The lawsuit accuses Owens of conducting a yearlong, malicious campaign of defamation, including producing multiple YouTube videos such as "Is France's First Lady a Man" and "Becoming Brigitte," promoting conspiracy theories, selling related merchandise, and using these fabrications to grow her nearly 4.5 million YouTube subscriber base and make money.

The legal complaint details that Owens also accused President Macron of being a CIA operative tied to a broader conspiracy theory about Satanic pedophile rings masquerading as Jewish people. The Macrons emphasize that Owens ignored incontrovertible evidence disproving her allegations, including Brigitte Macron's verified biography with childhood photos and a newspaper clipping of her birth.

The suit states the couple has suffered substantial economic damages and loss of future business opportunities due to this global bullying and humiliation campaign. It describes the lies as invasive, dehumanizing, and deeply unjust, causing ongoing harassment worldwide. President Macron is filing the case as a private individual, not in his official capacity. Owens' spokesperson responded by calling the lawsuit an attack on First Amendment rights and accused the Macrons of attempting to bully a reporter into submission.

The Macrons are seeking compensatory and punitive damages to set the record straight and hold Owens accountable for actual malice, as required by U.S. defamation law for public figures. This case is notable as a rare instance of a world leader pursuing defamation proceedings in the United States.