French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, First Lady Brigitte Macron, have taken decisive action against right-wing influencer and podcaster Candace Owens. Filed in Delaware Superior Court on Wednesday, the defamation lawsuit centers on Owens' sensational and widely circulated claim that France's First Lady is, in fact, male.
The Macrons' complaint paints a stark picture of what they describe as a "lie-filled 'campaign of global humiliation'." They allege that Owens has meticulously "dissected their appearance, their marriage, their friends, their family, and their personal history — twisting it all into a grotesque narrative designed to inflame and degrade." The core of these allegations is Owens' assertion that Brigitte Macron, 72, was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, the actual name of her older brother. The complaint further stresses the devastating impact of these falsehoods, stating that the result is "relentless bullying on a worldwide scale," intended not only to promote Owens' podcast but also to expand her "frenzied" fan base.
In a joint statement released by their legal representatives, the Macrons revealed that the lawsuit was a last resort, coming only after Owens reportedly rejected three separate demands that she retract her defamatory statements. "Ms. Owens's campaign of defamation was plainly designed to harass and cause pain to us and our families and to garner attention and notoriety," the Macrons stated, underscoring their belief that they "gave her every opportunity to back away from these claims, but she refused."
Unsurprisingly, Candace Owens has fiercely rebutted the lawsuit. Speaking on her podcast on the same Wednesday the suit was filed, she declared, "This lawsuit is littered with factual inaccuracies," framing the legal action as an "obvious and desperate public relations strategy" aimed at smearing her character. Despite lawyers from both sides having been in communication since January, Owens claimed she was unaware that a lawsuit was imminent. Her spokesperson went further, portraying the lawsuit itself as an effort to bully Owens, especially after Brigitte Macron allegedly rejected her repeated requests for an interview. The spokesperson escalated the rhetoric, asserting, "This is a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist."
This legal skirmish epitomizes the ongoing global struggle to define the boundaries of free speech in the digital age versus the rising tide of online misinformation and targeted harassment. The Macrons' lawsuit raises critical questions about how public figures, even heads of state, can protect their personal integrity against baseless, viral claims propagated across international borders. It underscores the profound impact of digital narratives on individuals and families, regardless of their public status.
