Macron and His Wife Sue American Influencer: What's the Charge?

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron have filed a defamation lawsuit against American right-wing influencer Candace Owens. This lawsuit comes after Owens alleged that the French First Lady was born male, among a series of other false claims targeting the presidential couple.

Owens made these claims in March 2024 via the "X" platform (formerly Twitter) and on her podcast. The lawsuit, which Owens herself confirmed in a YouTube video, accuses the American influencer of spreading "this false claim to promote her own platform, gain fame, and achieve financial gain."

When Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron requested Owens remove the offensive content, the lawsuit states that she "mocked them and used them as additional material for her enthusiastic fan base." Court documents revealed that Owens published an eight-part podcast series titled "Becoming Brigitte," which contained "a collection of verifiable destructive lies about Macron and his wife." These allegations also included claims that Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron were related, and that Emmanuel Macron became president with the help of a secret CIA program.

The lawsuit asserts that Macron and his wife have become victims of an "ongoing and unjustified" "global humiliation campaign." Candace Owens, 36, enjoys a wide fan base within right-wing circles, with 4.4 million subscribers on YouTube and approximately 7 million followers on "X."