French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron have filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit in Delaware, USA, targeting conservative American commentator Candace Owens. The legal action comes after what the Macrons describe as a year-long campaign of false and damaging claims initiated by Owens for personal and financial gain.
Allegations and Legal Claims
The lawsuit, filed in a U.S. court, accuses Owens of defamation, false light, and defamation by implication. The Macrons are seeking both actual and punitive damages from Owens and her associated business entities.
According to the legal filing, Owens has made repeated assertions that Brigitte Macron is a man, including claims that she was born “Jean-Michel Trogneux.” Owens further alleged that the French presidential couple are blood relatives and that Emmanuel Macron is a CIA operative connected to mind-control programs such as MKUltra.
These allegations, the lawsuit contends, are “outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions” which have caused widespread harassment and ridicule of the couple globally.
High-Profile Representation and Willingness to Testify
The Macrons are represented by Tom Clare, a prominent attorney best known for his role in the Dominion Voting Systems defamation case against Fox News. Clare emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating:
“If ever there was a clear-cut case of defamation, this is it.”
According to sources familiar with the case, Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron are prepared to testify in person in Delaware, should the case proceed to a jury trial.
Owens’ Response and Continued Defiance
Candace Owens has publicly responded via Instagram, posting sarcastic captions and memes about the lawsuit. She doubled down on her stance, suggesting the legal action represents an attack on her First Amendment rights, with her spokesperson stating:
“This is a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist… This is not France. It’s America.”
Owens is expected to issue a more detailed response in an upcoming episode of her podcast.
Ongoing Legal History
This is not Brigitte Macron’s first legal battle over such allegations. In a previous lawsuit in France, she sued two women over similar claims. While she initially won the case, an appeals court overturned the ruling, and the matter is now pending before France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation.
President Macron has previously commented on the persistent rumors, noting their impact on his family’s private life and mental well-being.
The Elysée Palace has declined to offer an official comment, citing the matter as a private legal issue.
