French President and First Lady File 22-Count Lawsuit in Delaware, Alleging “Relentless Campaign of Defamation”

PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States against conservative podcaster Candace Owens, accusing her of spreading false and damaging claims that Brigitte was born male. The 22-count complaint, lodged in Delaware Superior Court on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, alleges that Owens engaged in a “relentless year-long campaign of defamation” to boost her media platform and financial gain, causing significant reputational and emotional harm to the Macrons.

The lawsuit centers on Owens’ repeated assertions, beginning in March 2024, that Brigitte Macron, 72, was born as Jean-Michel Trogneux—her brother’s name—and transitioned to female. These claims, which the Macrons call “outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions,” were amplified through Owens’ YouTube series “Becoming Brigitte,” which garnered over 2.3 million views, and posts to her nearly 7 million followers on X. The suit further accuses Owens of falsely alleging that the Macrons are blood relatives and that Emmanuel Macron was installed as president through a CIA-linked mind-control program.

According to the 218-page filing, the Macrons sent three retraction demands to Owens, starting in December 2024, accompanied by evidence such as Brigitte’s birth announcement and family photos proving she was born a woman. Owens allegedly ignored these requests, instead doubling down on her claims, including a March 2024 X post where she stated, “I would stake my entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man.” The Macrons’ legal team, led by attorney Tom Clare of Clare Locke, argues that Owens acted with “actual malice,” knowingly spreading falsehoods or with reckless disregard for the truth, a key standard for defamation cases involving public figures in the U.S.

“Ms. Owens’ campaign of defamation was plainly designed to harass and cause pain to us and our families and to garner attention and notoriety,” the Macrons said in a statement. “We gave her every opportunity to back away from these claims, but she refused. It is our earnest hope that this lawsuit will set the record straight and end this campaign of defamation once and for all.” The complaint seeks unspecified actual and punitive damages, as well as legal costs, and requests a jury trial.

Owens’ spokesperson responded defiantly, asserting, “Candace Owens is not shutting up. This is a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist.” The statement claimed Owens had sought an interview with Brigitte Macron, which was declined, and accused the Macrons of attempting to “bully a reporter into submission.” Owens is expected to address the lawsuit on her podcast, “Candace,” on Wednesday.

The case marks a rare instance of a sitting world leader pursuing legal action against a foreign journalist. The Macrons have previously tackled similar claims in France, where Brigitte won a libel suit against two women in September 2024 for spreading the same transgender conspiracy theory, though the ruling was overturned on appeal earlier this month. The Delaware lawsuit highlights the global reach of disinformation, with the Macrons alleging that Owens’ actions led to “relentless bullying on a worldwide scale,” impacting their personal lives and public roles.

Legal experts note that the Macrons face a high bar to prove “actual malice” under U.S. law, but their legal team’s track record, including a major settlement in the Dominion Voting Systems case against Fox News, suggests a robust strategy. The lawsuit also underscores broader concerns about transphobic disinformation targeting prominent women, a trend noted by organizations like GLAAD, which has condemned such narratives as “deeply misogynistic” and harmful to public discourse.

As the case unfolds, it is likely to spark debates over free speech, the responsibilities of influencers, and the cross-border impact of conspiracy theories. The Macrons, represented by Clare Locke, have signaled their readiness to appear in Delaware court, signaling their determination to confront what they describe as a “grotesque narrative” designed to degrade and inflame.