Macron sues Candace Owens over claims France's first lady was born male

French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron have filed a defamation lawsuit against U.S. podcaster Candace Owens in Delaware state court, alleging she spread false claims that Brigitte was born a biological male.

The 219-page filing states Owens profited from these allegations through her podcast series “Becoming Brigitte,” which promotes conspiracy theories about the Macrons’ relationship, including claims of identity theft and incest, all denied by the couple.

Owens, a former Turning Point USA communications director, began pushing these theories in 2024, notably in a March X post stating, “I would stake my entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man.”

She also sold T-shirts featuring Brigitte’s face with the tagline “man of the year.” The Macrons claim Owens’ actions caused “relentless bullying on a worldwide scale” and seek a jury trial in Delaware, where Owens’ businesses are based.

This lawsuit follows a separate French legal battle where two women were initially convicted of libel for similar claims but were later acquitted on appeal. Brigitte Macron appealed that ruling on July 14, 2025.