WILMINGTON, DE — In a landmark legal escalation, French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron recently filed a 22-count defamation suit in Delaware state court against conservative commentator Candace Owens. The complaint accuses Owens of propagating unfounded and injurious conspiracy theories—such as claims that Brigitte Macron was born male, that the Macrons are blood relatives, and that Emmanuel Macron was installed via CIA mind-control programs.
The lawsuit, led by attorney Tom Clare of Clare Locke LLP, details multiple demarches requesting retractions, all of which were allegedly ignored. The Macrons assert that Owens not only refused to correct her statements but continued to amplify them across social media and in her podcast series “Becoming Brigitte.”
“Ms. Owens’ campaign of defamation was plainly designed to harass and cause pain to us and our families and to garner attention and notoriety,” the Macrons stated in court filings. Clare described the case as “a clear-cut instance of defamation,” noting Owens’ continued defiance “despite irrefutable evidence.”
In a high-profile response to the lawsuit, Owens reinforced her earlier claims, saying that Brigitte Macron “is definitely a man” and dismissing the legal action as a publicity stunt. She referred to the suit as “an obvious and desperate public relations strategy” and vowed to defend her work under the protections of the U.S. First Amendment (time.com, apnews.com, washingtonpost.com).
Owens reportedly posted about the legal action on her podcast, declaring, “I am fully prepared to take on this battle,” and accused the Macrons of trying to “bully a reporter into submission.” She remained defiant, asserting that she would continue her Becoming Brigitte series and suggested that the truth of the claims would ultimately emerge in court (people.com).
The lawsuit seeks punitive damages and marks a test of defamation boundaries in the digital age. The Macrons argue that Owens monetized the disinformation—selling merchandise like a fake “Man of the Year” T‑shirt—and profited from global attention.
As the case unfolds, it raises pressing questions about the spread of conspiracy-driven content, the limits of protected speech, and the responsibilities of public figures and their challengers in the media age.
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