French president sues podcaster for saying his wife was born a man

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French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have launched a defamation lawsuit against right-wing American podcaster Candace Owens in response to her claims that France’s first lady was born male. Filed on July 23, 2025, in Delaware Superior Court, the 22-count complaint accuses Owens of spreading baseless lies through her podcast and social media, seeking unspecified damages for what the Macrons call a “global campaign of humiliation.” This high-stakes legal battle underscores the clash between free speech and accountability in the digital age, spotlighting the harm caused by misinformation.

The Allegations and Their Impact
The lawsuit targets Owens’ eight-part YouTube series, Becoming Brigitte, and related posts on X, where she alleged that Brigitte Macron, 72, was born male, stole another person’s identity, and transitioned to female. The series, which amassed over 2.3 million views, also claimed that the Macrons are blood relatives involved in incest and that Emmanuel Macron’s presidency stems from a CIA mind-control program akin to MKUltra. The Macrons’ 219-page filing asserts these claims are “demonstrably false” and that Owens knowingly published them to boost her fame and profits.

In a joint statement, the Macrons expressed their distress: “Ms. Owens’ campaign of defamation was deliberately designed to harass and inflict pain on us and our families while garnering her attention and notoriety. We gave her every opportunity to retract these falsehoods, but she refused. We hope this lawsuit will set the record straight and end this malicious campaign once and for all.”

The Macrons provided evidence, including Brigitte’s birth records, childhood photos, and documentation of her three children from a prior marriage, to debunk the claims. Despite three retraction demands—sent in December 2024, June 2025, and July 1, 2025—Owens persisted, monetizing her series through subscriptions, merchandise (like a T-shirt mocking Brigitte as Time’s “Man of the Year”), and donations.

Legal Grounds and Challenges
Represented by Clare Locke, the law firm behind Dominion Voting Systems’ $787 million settlement with Fox News in 2023, the Macrons allege Owens acted with “actual malice,” the legal standard for defamation cases involving public figures in the US. This requires proving Owens knew her statements were false or showed reckless disregard for their truth, a high bar but supported by her refusal to retract despite evidence. The suit, filed in Delaware due to Owens’ business entities (Candace Owens LLC and GeorgeTom, Inc.) being incorporated there, seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.

Tom Clare, the Macrons’ attorney, stated: “Ms. Owens’ conduct is a textbook case of defamation. She ignored irrefutable evidence and continued to spread lies for financial gain, subjecting the Macrons to relentless global scrutiny.”

Owens’ Defiant Counterattack
Owens, a former Daily Wire commentator who launched her independent podcast “Candace” in June 2024 after her March 2024 firing, responded defiantly in a July 23, 2025, YouTube livestream. Quoting Gladiator’s “Are you not entertained?” she framed the lawsuit as a “public relations stunt” and stood by her claims. “This is why you’re here,” she told her 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, dismissing the filing’s accusations and alleging it misquoted her.

Her spokesperson issued a statement: “Candace Owens will not be silenced. This is a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American journalist. Candace repeatedly requested an interview with Brigitte Macron, but instead of engaging, she’s trying to bully a reporter into submission. In France, politicians may intimidate journalists, but this is America, not France.”

Background and Broader Context
The claims against Brigitte Macron originated in March 2021 on fringe online platforms and were amplified by Owens in March 2024 during her Daily Wire tenure. The Macrons previously won a 2024 French libel case against two women for similar allegations, though the ruling was overturned on appeal in July 2025, with an appeal pending in France’s highest court.

Owens’ series, with posts reaching 3 million views on X, has fueled global speculation, exacerbating what the lawsuit calls “grotesque narratives” about the Macrons’ marriage, appearance, and personal history.

Emmanuel Macron, president since 2017, and Brigitte, married in 2007, argue that Owens’ lies have turned their lives into “fodder for profit-driven sensationalism.” The suit highlights her financial motives, noting that her monetized content solicits donations and promotes subscriptions to sustain her brand.

This rare case of a sitting world leader suing a journalist echoes defamation suits by figures like Donald Trump, who recently filed a $10 billion claim against The Wall Street Journal. It tests the limits of US free speech protections against the harm of misinformation, particularly transphobic conspiracies targeting prominent women, as seen with figures like Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris. The outcome could influence how public figures combat defamation in the digital era, especially when amplified by influencers with millions of followers.

The Macrons are prepared for a Delaware jury trial, signaling their resolve to restore their reputation. As this legal saga unfolds, follow updates on CBS News to see how it shapes the global conversation on truth, media, and accountability in 2025.

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