The first couple of France are suing an American podcaster over claims that the French First Lady is really a man. French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, filed a defamation lawsuit Wednesday in a U.S. court against Candace Owens, who has refused to retract her claim despite insistence by the Macrons.
The Macrons will have to prove “actual malice” on the part of Owens. They’ll have to make a compelling argument that Owens knew what she was saying about Brigitte Macron was false but broadcast it anyway. This will be a high mountain to scale. Owens has put together an eight-part series that, to many, makes a compelling case, as wild as it initially seems. She has relied heavily on research and investigative reporting conducted by French investigative journalist Xavier Poussard, who wrote the book Becoming Brigitte. Owens has put her career on the line over this story. To prove that she knowingly made false claims will be difficult.
Not the First Suit by Macrons
The lawsuit against Owens follows one the Macrons filed against Poussard just days earlier. Poussard, interestingly, is being sued for cyberbullying, not defamation. Poussard has left France and moved to Italy over alleged harassment related to his reporting on the Macrons.
The Macrons’ suit comes on the heels of another related and interesting development. Earlier this month, two French women who were previously convicted of defamation over identical claims that Brigitte Macron was really a man were cleared of the charge on appeal in a French court. The Daily Mail reported, “Judges sitting at the Paris Appeal Court on Thursday ruled that Amandine Roy, a 53-year-old clairvoyant, and Natacha Rey, 49 and a blogger, had every legal right to make the sulphurous allegations.”
The claim about Brigitte Macron has been repeated widely, including on the most popular podcast in the world, The Joe Rogan Experience, which is said to average up to 11 million listeners per episode.
Owens’ and Poussard’s claim is that Brigitte Macron was actually born Jean-Michel Trogneux, a boy. They allege that Brigitte assumed her current identity after her “brother” disappeared from public records, which happened to be around the time Brigitte emerged. In her video series, Owens compares photos of Jean-Michel Trogneux to Brigitte to make the case that they share facial features. She also presents other arguments. Owens claims the Macrons have refused to make any legitimate efforts to prove her wrong. She claims they refuse to provide a birth certificate or pictures of Brigitte with her brother. The Macrons, for their part, argue they shouldn’t have to prove that Brigitte is not a man.
Owens’ Claims
Owens also often takes issue with the Macrons’ age discrepancy. She alleges the two actually connected when Emmanuel was 14, not 15 as conventionally believed. Brigitte was a 39-year-old teacher, which would render her a pederast if the two had a sexual relations at the time. A frequent theme of Owens’ podcasts is the prevalence of pedophilia among the elites around the world. The couple’s age gap is not disputed by anyone.
The Macrons’ lawsuit was the lead story on Owens’ Wednesday podcast episode. She said she learned about it through the media before receiving personal notice. “Today, I have been sued by the first lady-man of France,” she said at the beginning. “I am floored. Are you floored? Because this is just goofy. You are officially a very goofy man, Brigitte.”
Owens believes the suit is a PR attempt to soften the embarrassment brought upon the couple. She indicated she was ready for the fight and that she looked forward to presenting her argument.
Not the First Foreign Suit Against Americans
Although rare, this isn’t the first time American media figures have been sued by foreign nationals. In 2021, Venezuelan businessman Majed Khalil sued Fox News, Lou Dobbs, and Sidney Powell for $250 million alleging that they defamed him by implicating him in a vote-rigging conspiracy. A judge had dismissed Powell as a defendant before the case was ultimately settled out of court.
In 2019, Svetlana Lokhova sued a number of American media outlets alleging that they defamed her by reporting she had had contact with General Michael Flynn on behalf of Russia, portraying her as a Russian spy. Her lawsuit was dismissed, and the dismissal was upheld on appeal.
The Macrons’ lawsuit will present another test to Americans’ speech rights. It is highly unusual for foreign nationals to sue Americans, much more so foreign nationals who happen to be the heads of a major first-world state. Will the Macrons learn a personal lesson about the American First Amendment? Or do they have something up their sleeve that will not bode well for Owens — and therefore the rest of us?
