French President Macron Sues Podcaster Over Harmful False Claims

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have taken legal action against American podcaster Candace Owens in Delaware Superior Court on July 23, 2025.

The couple is suing Owens for spreading false and damaging claims that Brigitte, 72, was born male, calling it a deliberate attempt to humiliate them and boost Owens’ popularity.

The 22-count lawsuit, filed as case N25C-07-194, accuses Owens of making up lies in her podcast series “Becoming Brigitte,” which has over 2.3 million YouTube views, and through posts on X.

Owens claimed Brigitte was born as Jean-Michel Trogneux, her brother’s name, stole someone else’s identity, and that the Macrons are related by blood and involved in incest. The Macrons say Owens ignored three requests to retract her statements since December 2024, instead doubling down on what they call “cruel bullying” for profit and fame.

• French President Macron Sues Candace Owens for Defamation Over False Claims About Brigitte
• Macrons File 22-Count Lawsuit Against Podcaster Candace Owens in U.S. Court
• Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron Take Legal Action Over Viral ‘Becoming Brigitte’ Podcast Allegations

The lawsuit states, Owens has 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 Macrons say these lies have caused them significant personal and social harm.

Owens, who has over 6.9 million followers on X and 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, called the lawsuit a “desperate PR move” full of errors in a podcast response. Her spokesperson claimed it’s an attack on her free speech rights, noting Brigitte declined interview requests. The Macrons’ lawyer, Tom Clare, insists this is a straightforward defamation case, focusing on the couple’s suffering.

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This isn’t the first time Brigitte has faced such claims. In France, she won a lawsuit against two women for similar rumors, but the decision was overturned on appeal in July 2025. In the U.S., the Macrons must prove Owens acted with “actual malice,” a tough standard for public figures like them. The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages, marking a rare move for a world leader to sue for defamation.