Macron Couple Files New Defamation Lawsuit Against US Influencer
Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron target Candace Owens over persistent online disinformation campaigns.
1New Legal Action Initiated
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, filed a new defamation lawsuit against American influencer Candace Owens on November 4, 2026. This legal action, submitted to a federal court in Tennessee, marks a significant escalation in the couple's ongoing efforts to combat persistent false rumors regarding the French First Lady.
2Targeting False Narratives
The lawsuit centers on claims that Owens disseminated and exploited false information alleging that Brigitte Macron is transgender. The presidential couple asserts that these claims are not merely personal attacks but a calculated campaign of international humiliation designed to gain notoriety and generate financial profit through the influencer's independent media platform.
3Previous Legal Hurdles
This filing follows a procedural setback in October 2025, when a judge in Delaware restricted the scope of an earlier lawsuit. The court ruled that Owens could not be held personally liable due to statute of limitations, though proceedings against her corporate entities were allowed to continue in that specific jurisdiction.
4Evidence of Systematic Harm
The new 400-page complaint meticulously documents 88 specific instances where the influencer allegedly amplified these falsehoods. The legal document argues that these actions have caused immense damage to the couple's reputation, characterizing the behavior as a persistent effort to monetize misinformation rather than a genuine pursuit of public truth.
5Global Spread of Misinformation
While the rumors regarding Brigitte Macron have circulated in France since 2017, they gained significant international traction after March 2024. The narrative reached a global audience by January 2025, fueled by a video series titled Becoming Brigitte, which the plaintiffs claim significantly exacerbated the harm caused by the original disinformation campaign.
6Jurisdictional Shift to Tennessee
By filing the new lawsuit in Tennessee, the state where Candace Owens resides, the Macron couple aims to hold the influencer directly accountable for her conduct. This strategic move bypasses the jurisdictional limitations encountered in the previous Delaware case, focusing the legal pressure directly on the individual responsible for the content.
7Objectives of the Litigation
The primary goal of this legal intervention is to restore the truth and prevent further damage to the couple's public standing. Through the federal court system, the Macrons seek to establish legal consequences for the influencer's actions, signaling a firm stance against the international proliferation of defamatory content targeting political figures.
8Broader Implications for Accountability
This case highlights the growing tension between public figures and independent influencers in the digital age. As the legal battle proceeds in Tennessee, it serves as a test case for how international defamation claims are handled when disinformation is amplified across borders to build personal brands and monetize online political discourse.
Original article: 20 Minutes — Macron Couple Files New Defamation Lawsuit Against US Influencer