French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte have taken legal action against conservative podcaster Candace Owens in the United States. The lawsuit accuses Owens of spreading harmful and false claims that they believe were made to damage their reputation.
The lawsuit was filed in Delaware on July 23, 2025. It contains 218 pages and lists 22 counts of defamation. The couple is requesting a jury trial and is also seeking punitive damages.
The case centers on a video series created by Owens titled Becoming Brigitte. In the series, Owens falsely claims that Brigitte Macron was born male under the name Jean‑Michel Trogneux. She also states that the couple are blood relatives and that Emmanuel Macron is a product of a mind-control experiment. These claims have been described by the couple as outrageous and extremely damaging.
The couple claims that they reached out to Owens multiple times, asking her to take down the content and issue an apology. Instead, she refused and continued to promote the series. Macron and his wife say the false claims were not only harmful but also spread rapidly online. They argue that these stories were pushed to grow Owens’ online following and generate income, while causing emotional distress and reputational damage to them.
Filing this lawsuit in the U.S. is unusual, especially for a sitting world leader. Still, the Macrons insist that it became necessary due to the scale and impact of the false stories. This legal step is a continuation of their fight to protect their name and defend their family.
In the United States, defamation cases involving public figures are held to a high standard. The Macrons must prove that Owens acted with “actual malice,” meaning she either knew the claims were false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. Despite this challenge, the couple says they have a strong case and are determined to seek justice.
Their legal team emphasized that the focus of the case is truth. According to them, Owens had several chances to stop the falsehoods but chose instead to mock the couple and ignore formal warnings. Macron sues Owens to stop the continued spread of misinformation and to send a clear message about accountability.
The lawsuit also includes details of how Emmanuel and Brigitte met. They first became close when he was 15 and she was his drama teacher. The legal filing highlights that their relationship has always been misrepresented and that such rumors have led to unfair attacks. Brigitte, in particular, has faced hurtful comments and cyberbullying as a result of the misinformation.
This is not the first time Brigitte Macron has had to respond to such claims. In the past, she challenged similar rumors in court and won a case in France. However, the recent global reach of the Owens series and its viral impact has made the issue more urgent, prompting this international legal move.
The video series in question gained millions of views and focused heavily on the Macrons’ personal life, their marriage, appearance, and family background. The couple says it was an invasion of privacy and a calculated effort to mislead the public.
According to the Macrons, the damage has already been done and continues to grow. They say the constant online harassment and media attention have taken a personal toll. Through this lawsuit, they are asking the court to help restore their reputation and put an end to the falsehoods.
A representative for Owens has responded to the lawsuit by arguing that it threatens freedom of speech. However, the Macrons argue that free speech does not protect deliberate lies that harm real people. They believe the court will agree, and they are confident that justice will be served.
In conclusion, Macron sues Owens not just to protect his wife’s dignity but also to push back against the dangerous spread of misinformation. The lawsuit marks a bold step by a world leader to defend truth and demand responsibility from those with influence.
About The Author
