French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron are taking a firm stance in a U.S. courtroom to counter claims made by conservative commentator Candace Owens. The legal battle, which has captured international attention, began after Owens publicly asserted that Brigitte, who is currently 72 years old, was born male and transitioned in secret—a statement she has adamantly voiced on her podcast and on social media.
The Macrons filed a defamation lawsuit in Delaware in July 2025, and their legal team, led by attorney Tom Clare, is set to present a combination of photographic and scientific evidence to affirm Brigitte's gender. In a recent interview on the BBC’s Fame Under Fire podcast, Clare outlined the couple's readiness to provide photographs of Brigitte during her pregnancy and other documentation to meet the legal standards required by the U.S. court.
Owens' controversial claim was made with considerable conviction, as she tweeted, "I would stake my entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man." This assertion is not without precedent; similar allegations had been made in France by Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey, leading to legal action by Brigitte Macron that is still ongoing.
The lawsuit against Owens asserts that she willingly ignored credible evidence that disproved her claims, choosing instead to give a platform to conspiracy theorists and those with a history of defamation. The legal complaint also highlights Owens' refusal to engage with the Macrons' efforts to clarify the truth, alleging that she exploited the situation to further engage her audience.
The effects of these allegations have extended to Emmanuel Macron personally, with Clare expressing the emotional toll such attacks take on a family, regardless of their public status. He noted, "When your family is under attack, it wears on you. And he’s not immune from that because he’s the president of a country.”
Owens has responded by attempting to dismiss the case, framing it as an infringement on free speech. She has accused Brigitte Macron of trying to bully a journalist into submission, a tactic she claims may be common in France but not permissible in the United States, where she asserts her First Amendment rights are being threatened.
Despite this, the Macrons' legal representatives maintain a quiet confidence, affirming their preparedness to prove Brigitte's gender through medical records and personal documentation.
While the case unfolds, the international community watches closely, as the outcome may have broader implications for the limits of free speech and the protection against defamation, especially in the digital era where the spread of misinformation can be rapid and far-reaching.
