French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron are suing far-right commentator Candace Owens in Delaware for defamation. Owens has spent months promoting a conspiracy theory that Brigitte Macron was born male, using her podcast and an eight-part YouTube series, Becoming Brigitte, as platforms to spread these claims. The Macrons argue Owens has monetized this false narrative to gain notoriety.
The Lawsuit and Allegations
The lawsuit, filed in Delaware court, accuses Owens of deliberately spreading misinformation. The Macrons say Owens “used this false statement to promote her independent platform, gain notoriety, and make money.” Owens, however, denies wrongdoing and continues to defend her claims vigorously.
In March 2024, Owens boldly stated on X (formerly Twitter), “After looking into this, I would stake my entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man.”
Trump’s Private Warning and Owens’ Public Push
Amid rising legal pressure, Owens revealed that President Trump personally called her, urging her to stop pushing the conspiracy about Brigitte Macron’s gender. Despite this private warning, Owens complains that neither Trump nor Ohio Senate candidate JD Vance has publicly supported her.
Owens argues that if Trump truly valued free speech, he would publicly condemn the Macron lawsuit. She suggested he could acknowledge Brigitte as a woman while also criticizing a foreign leader for threatening the First Amendment. Owens claims, “He could say, like he said to me on the phone, that ‘I looked at her real close in the Eiffel Tower, and it looked like a woman to me.’”
From Conspiracy to Courtroom: Owens’ Legal Battle
Owens has framed herself as a victim of an unprecedented legal attack from a foreign government. She accused Macron of “being a foreign invader” threatening American free speech. However, critics highlight the irony: Owens built significant revenue and audience engagement by promoting the conspiracy theory she now calls a legal battle.
Media and Expert Reactions
Media figures like Piers Morgan have openly criticized Owens. Morgan stated, “You kind of know the rumor about Brigitte is not true, but you’ve ridden the wave of conspiracy theory because it’s been so lucrative.” Legal experts point out that defamation suits depend on proving “actual malice,” meaning Owens either knowingly spread falsehoods or acted recklessly. Her public confidence in the claim may either defend or undermine her case.
What’s Next?
The lawsuit is expected to advance later this year with depositions and discovery phases. These legal steps could reveal more about Owens’ editorial process and whether the conspiracy campaign was deliberately monetized.
Meanwhile, Owens continues to call on political allies for public backing, but so far, neither Trump nor Vance has issued a statement.
