French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte have filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit against right-wing American commentator and podcaster Candace Owens.
The suit, filed in Delaware Superior Court in the United States, responds to Owens’ repeated allegations that Brigitte Macron was born a man, which the Macrons describe as outrageous, false, and defamatory.
The complaint states Owens ran a “campaign of global humiliation” through videos, including an eight-part podcast series titled “Becoming Brigitte,” and merchandise promoting these false claims.
Owens has purported that Brigitte Macron was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, the name of her brother, and has advanced other conspiracies such as accusations of incest and fraud involving the Macron family. Despite multiple requests for retraction and credible evidence disproving her claims, Owens continued to spread these damaging falsehoods, according to the lawsuit.
The Macrons claim the defamatory campaign has caused significant economic damage, reputational harm, and psychological distress, describing the relentless online bullying as invasive and unjust. They are seeking punitive damages and hope the lawsuit will end Owens’ defamatory attacks.
Owens’ representatives stated she intends to defend her free speech rights, describing the lawsuit as an attempt by a foreign government to suppress an independent American journalist.
Owens denied wrongdoing and planned to address the suit on her program.
The Macrons are represented by prominent legal firm Clare Locke, known for high-profile defamation cases, highlighting the seriousness and global attention of this legal action.
This case also reflects the challenges of addressing defamation by influencers spreading conspiracies across international borders.
In summary, the Macrons are pursuing legal redress for persistent, baseless, and damaging allegations propagated by Candace Owens, aiming to restore their reputations and halt the defamatory campaign.
