French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit against American right-wing podcaster and influencer Candace Owens. The suit, submitted on July 23, 2025, in Delaware Superior Court, targets Owens for spreading “outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions,” including the false assertion that Brigitte Macron was born male and that the couple are blood relatives engaged in incestuous relationships.
According to the complaint, Owens has promoted these baseless claims through an eight-part podcast series titled Becoming Brigitte and across various social media platforms since March 2024. The lawsuit describes her actions as a calculated campaign to “harass and cause pain” to the Macrons, while boosting her own notoriety and financial gain. The complaint, spanning over 200 pages, accuses Owens of defamation, false light, and defamation by implication, seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
The Macrons’ legal team, including attorneys from Farnan LLP and Clare Locke LLP, stated that despite multiple requests for retraction, Owens refused to remove or correct the false claims, leaving litigation as the only remaining recourse. The couple expressed in a statement: “It is our earnest hope that this lawsuit will set the record straight and end this campaign of defamation once and for all.”
Owens has not yet appeared in court. A spokesperson for Owens condemned the lawsuit as an attack on First Amendment rights, with plans to address the case on her podcast. The legal filing also highlights Owens’ history of disinformation, noting her previous propagation of conspiracy theories about President Macron, including claims he is a CIA operative.
This lawsuit stands out as a rare instance of a world leader pursuing defamation claims in the United States against a media personality. It underscores the complexities faced by public figures in combating misinformation in the digital era, especially when allegations spark widespread online harassment and global attention.
All facts are drawn from comprehensive reporting by multiple major news outlets including ABC News, The Washington Post, Reuters, CNBC, Bloomberg Law, Variety, and Forbes as of July 23, 2025.
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