French President Emmanuel Macron Sues Influencer Over Claim About First Lady
Macron and his wife file defamation lawsuit against Candace Owens in U.S. court over allegations about Brigitte Macron's gender.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, have filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States against right-wing influencer Candace Owens.
The legal action stems from Owens' claim that France's first lady was born male.
According to the lawsuit filed in Delaware Superior Court, Owens has been part of a campaign spreading falsehoods about the Macrons' personal history and family in an attempt to boost her public profile through podcast appearances and social media engagement.
The complaint details how Owens, who has over 6.9 million followers on X (formerly known as Twitter) and more than 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, spread several verifiably false statements.
These included the claim that Brigitte Macron was originally named Jean-Michel Trogneux and that she had been born male.
The Macrons assert that these lies were designed to humiliate them globally and degrade their reputation.
The lawsuit emphasizes the Macrons' efforts to privately address the situation by requesting that Owens retract her defamatory statements, which they claim were ignored.
In response, Owens' spokesperson argued that the lawsuit is an attempt to stifle free speech and infringe upon the First Amendment rights of an American citizen.
The legal action marks a rare instance where a world leader takes legal recourse against defamation allegations.
The Macrons are subject to a high legal standard in U.S. defamation cases, requiring proof of actual malice on the part of Owens – that she knowingly published false information or had reckless disregard for its truth.
This case also involves significant public interest and speculation surrounding the Macrons' relationship and Brigitte Macron's identity, which have been discussed on major platforms such as podcasts hosted by Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan.
In September, Brigitte Macron won a lawsuit in France against individuals who contributed to spreading rumors about her gender.
However, this decision was overturned on appeal, and she has since appealed to France's highest court.
The legal action stems from Owens' claim that France's first lady was born male.
According to the lawsuit filed in Delaware Superior Court, Owens has been part of a campaign spreading falsehoods about the Macrons' personal history and family in an attempt to boost her public profile through podcast appearances and social media engagement.
The complaint details how Owens, who has over 6.9 million followers on X (formerly known as Twitter) and more than 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, spread several verifiably false statements.
These included the claim that Brigitte Macron was originally named Jean-Michel Trogneux and that she had been born male.
The Macrons assert that these lies were designed to humiliate them globally and degrade their reputation.
The lawsuit emphasizes the Macrons' efforts to privately address the situation by requesting that Owens retract her defamatory statements, which they claim were ignored.
In response, Owens' spokesperson argued that the lawsuit is an attempt to stifle free speech and infringe upon the First Amendment rights of an American citizen.
The legal action marks a rare instance where a world leader takes legal recourse against defamation allegations.
The Macrons are subject to a high legal standard in U.S. defamation cases, requiring proof of actual malice on the part of Owens – that she knowingly published false information or had reckless disregard for its truth.
This case also involves significant public interest and speculation surrounding the Macrons' relationship and Brigitte Macron's identity, which have been discussed on major platforms such as podcasts hosted by Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan.
In September, Brigitte Macron won a lawsuit in France against individuals who contributed to spreading rumors about her gender.
However, this decision was overturned on appeal, and she has since appealed to France's highest court.
