French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron are involved in an unusual legal battle in the United States. They are suing U.S. political commentator Candace Owens for defamation after she repeatedly claimed that Brigitte Macron is transgender. Owens even said she would “stake her entire professional reputation” on the false claim.
The key step taken in this case is that the Macrons filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit in the U.S. against Candace Owens in July 2025, seeking damages and holding her accountable for spreading false claims that Brigitte Macron is transgender. They plan to present photographic and scientific evidence in court to prove the First Lady’s gender and disprove the allegations. Their lawyer, Tom Clare, described the legal action as a “last resort” after repeated attempts to persuade Owens to stop spreading the false claims failed. In short, the Macrons have initiated formal legal proceedings in a U.S. court to defend Brigitte Macron’s reputation.
How the Rumors Started
The conspiracy began in 2017 when blogger Natacha (or Nathalie) Rey posted a video claiming that Brigitte Macron was really her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, who had allegedly transitioned. The claim resurfaced in 2021 during an interview with spiritual medium Amandine Roy, going viral just before the 2022 French presidential election. Despite being false, the rumors kept spreading online. The blogger even shared a childhood photo of Brigitte’s brother, claiming it looked like the First Lady.
Candace Owens Amplifies the Story
In 2024, Candace Owens repeated the claims and promoted the conspiracy theory through podcasts and social media. She also promoted a book that falsely suggested Brigitte Macron is transgender and included other untrue accusations.
The Macron Lawsuit
In July 2025, the Macrons filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit against Owens in Delaware state court. Their lawyer, Tom Clare, said they plan to present photographic and scientific evidence, including pictures of Brigitte during pregnancy and raising her children, to prove the claims are false. The lawsuit accuses Owens of spreading lies to gain attention and seeks damages. Owens, in response, says the lawsuit is an attempt to silence her free speech.
Why This Case Matters
This case shows how dangerous online rumors can be, even for world leaders. It also raises questions about free speech versus spreading false information. As the court case continues, it could set an important example for how defamation cases involving public figures and online influencers are handled in the future.
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