CNN reported that French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron have initiated comprehensive legal proceedings against American podcaster Candace Owens, filing a 22-count defamation lawsuit in Delaware Superior Court over persistent conspiracy theory claims about the first lady's gender.
The lawsuit filed Wednesday stems from what the Macrons' legal team characterizes as "a relentless year-long campaign of defamation" by Owens, who has repeatedly promoted the unfounded theory that Brigitte Macron could be male, according to CNN. The legal action represents what attorneys describe as a "last resort" following unsuccessful attempts over approximately one year to persuade Owens to cease making these claims.
WATCH: Candace Owens just DOUBLED DOWN on Brigitte Macron being a man in response to getting sued.
"You were born a man and you will die a man... That's the point I'm making."
"I think you're sick. I think you're disgusting. And I am fully prepared to take on this battle on… pic.twitter.com/LXiGjuearU
— George (@BehizyTweets) July 24, 2025
Tom Clare, representing the Macrons, explained to CNN that his clients had requested Owens halt her campaign before pursuing litigation. The complaint traces the current controversy to March, when conservative commentator Owens produced a YouTube video titled "Is France's First Lady a Man?" which revived what the lawsuit terms an "absurd conspiracy theory."
