French president Emmanuel Macron sues controversial podcaster over conspiracy theory about his wife Brigitte
The Macrons have filed a defamation lawsuit against podcaster Candace Owens after her ‘relentless and unjustified smear campaign’ against the French first lady.
Owens is a right-wing influencer and podcaster who is accused of having contributed to the false conspiracy theory that Brigitte Macron ‘is in fact a man’.
A lengthy 219-page lawsuit was filed on Wednesday (23 July) in Delaware, accusing the internet star of publishing ‘outlandish, defamatory and far-fetched fictions’.
The French president and first lady are seeking a jury trial and punitive damages - which is a monetary award meant to punish defendants for their misconduct and discourage others from engaging in similar behaviour.
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US defamation laws require public figures to show ‘actual malice’, this means that it must be proven that Candace knew the rumours were false or had a ‘reckless disregard for the truth’.
One of the most outlandish claims listed in the suit is that Brigitte was born male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux.
According to the Financial Times, Owens has also claimed that Macron and his wife are ‘blood relatives’ and the French president is a product of a CIA human experiment or ‘government mind control programme’.
The lawsuit claims that her ‘lies have caused tremendous damage to the Macrons’ and caused a ‘campaign of global humiliation, turning their lives into fodder for profit-driven lies’.
As per The Independent, it reads: “Owens has dissected their appearance, their marriage, their friends, their family, and their personal history - twisting it all into a grotesque narrative designed to inflame and degrade.
“The result is relentless bullying on a worldwide scale. Every time the Macrons leave their home, they do so knowing that countless people have heard, and many believe, these vile fabrications. It is invasive, dehumanizing, and deeply unjust.”
It continues: “Owens was repeatedly presented with credible, verifiable evidence disproving her claims - including documentation, public records, and direct outreach from the Macrons.
“Instead of correcting the record, she doubled down. ... Owens, fully aware of the truth, has not only declined to retract her statements but has actively expanded on them.”
It accuses her of 'relentless bullying' in order to promote her podcast and expand her 'frenzied' fan base.
The YouTuber boasts a whopping 4.47million subscribers on the platform, as well as 5.7million followers on Instagram.
Unfortunately, it’s not the first time that the first lady has faced these false rumours which have spread across social media.
She filed a libel complaint against two women back in December 2021, who posted a YouTube video laying out the same conspiracy theory about her gender.
In September last year, Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey were found guilty of defaming Macron and they were ordered to pay 8,000 euros in damages to her.
However, they were cleared on appeal earlier this month, and now Brigitte is taking the case to the highest appeals court, the Court de Cassation.
Tyla has contacted a representative for Candace Owens for comment.
Topics: Emmanuel Macron, Politics, US News, World News, Celebrity
Madison Burgess