Macron sues Candace Owens on 22 counts of defamation

Photo by the Government of Ukraine, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron, France's first couple, have filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit against American podcaster Candace Owens. This lawsuit responds to controversial rumors and theories Owens has spread on her various platforms, claiming that Brigitte Macron is actually a man.

The complaint was filed in Delaware Superior Court on Wednesday, the 23rd. In its complaint, the Macrons' legal team argues that Owens "has waged a relentless smear campaign against the Macrons for an entire year."

The Macrons' legal team maintains they have attempted to resolve this matter privately over the past year, but that Owens has given them no alternative but to sue. They insist their "extensive" evidence will be presented in court, and urge Owens to drop the matter until then. 

Rumors that Brigitte Macron was actually born a man originated in France. In 2022, the Macrons appeared in a French court in a similar defamation case. The plaintiffs' legal team claims that Candace Owens was the first to raise this rumor to an international audience.

Candace Owens

Candace Owens is an openly right-wing American podcaster. She has a YouTube channel with over 4 million followers, where she regularly spreads far-right rhetoric, which she also shares on social media. One of Owens' most popular series is titled "Becoming Brigitte," which focuses on spreading controversial theories about the first lady of France. 

Candace Owens has been the focus of several political scandals as a result of her preference for disinformation. Here are just a few; Owens has a long history of controversy:

She received several criticisms for her insistence that COVID was not a problem so serious. He has publicly praised the German dictator Hitler. Focused on defame George Floyd during the 2020-2021 Black Lives Matter protests. She has been accused by several organizations of being antisemitic. (He has been denied visas for this). He constantly criticizes and verbally abuses the LGBTQ+ community, particularly the transgender community. Denies the existence of the systemic racism. Constantly elevates conspiracy theories using their platform. 

Responding to the complaint, Owens shared the following video with his YouTube followers. In the video, Owens says the complaint is a public relations effort, and demonstrates his intention to continue fighting the Macrons. Owens also posted a series of messages on your account X, where the first lady of France is referred to with articles and masculine pronouns. 

The Macrons' Troubled Romance

France's first couple has been the center of attention much controversy over the years, beyond the baseless rumors that Brigitte Macron is actually a man. One extremely controversial point of contention is the age difference between the first couple and the circumstances of their marriage.

Emmanuel Macron met his future wife when he was just 15 years old. At the time, Brigitte was a teacher at the school where Macron attended and was 39 years old. She was married to another man and had three children; one of her daughters was even a classmate of the young Emmanuel.

According to a biography about the life of the president, When her parents discovered the relationship, they asked Brigitte to cut off all contact with the boy until he reached adulthood. Brigitte, still married to an adult man at the time, responded, “I can’t promise you anything.”

On the subject of its complaint against Owens, the French first family has not provided any further comment.

For more stories like this, follow More Latin.

Sources:

• AP NEWS
• CNN