Macron Sues Candace Owens Over ‘Gender’ Claims About Wife

Advanced | August 1, 2025

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The Lawsuit Unfolds

Macron Sues Candace Owens: A Battle Over Defamation

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, filed a significant defamation lawsuit against American right-wing podcaster Candace Owens in Delaware Superior Court on July 23, 2025. The 22-count complaint seeks unspecified damages from Owens for “outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions” about Brigitte Macron. Specifically, Owens claimed Brigitte Macron was born a man, stole another person’s identity, and transitioned to a woman. The lawsuit asserts these claims are “demonstrably false,” and Owens knew they were untrue when she published them. This marks a high-profile instance where Macron sues Candace Owens in an attempt to protect his wife’s reputation.

Unheeded Warnings and Owens’ Stand

The Macrons’ legal team made three separate demands for retractions from Owens, beginning in December 2024 and with the final request sent on July 1, 2025. However, Owens “rebuffed” these demands, continuously pushing the allegations. Their attorney, Tom Clare, indicated this lawsuit was a “last resort” after a year of fruitless efforts to engage with Owens. A spokesperson for Candace Owens stated, “Candace Owens is not shutting up,” and characterized the lawsuit as “a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist.” Owens has publicly doubled down on her claims since the lawsuit was filed, calling it a “public relations strategy.”

Broader Implications

The Spread of Conspiracy Theories

Baseless claims about Brigitte Macron’s gender began circulating around March 2021, and Owens picked them up in March 2024 while working for The Daily Wire; she was fired later that month. This lawsuit prompts discussion about how conspiracy theories spread globally and whether legal action can effectively stop them. Owens’ claims are seen as part of a broader trend of gender-focused conspiracy theories targeting influential women in politics and culture.

Past Legal Challenges

Brigitte Macron has previously filed legal claims against two women in France over similar theories. An initial guilty verdict was overturned on appeal, a decision Brigitte Macron has further appealed to France’s highest court. The ongoing legal battles highlight the persistent challenges public figures face in combating online misinformation and protecting their reputations from unfounded accusations.

Vocabulary

Defamation (noun): The action of damaging the good reputation of someone; slander or libel.
- Example: “The celebrity filed a lawsuit for defamation after false stories about her personal life appeared online.”
Unspecified (adjective): Not stated or decided.
- Example: “The contract mentioned an unspecified amount for the damages, pending further assessment.”
Allegations (plural noun): Claims or assertions that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically without proof.
- Example: “The police are investigating serious allegations of fraud against the company director.”
Rebuffed (verb): Rejected (someone or something) in an abrupt or ungracious manner.
- Example: “She rebuffed his attempts to apologize, clearly still upset by his actions.”
Baseless (adjective): Without foundation in fact; untrue.
- Example: “His accusations against his colleague were completely baseless and lacked any evidence.”
Outlandish (adjective): Looking or sounding bizarre or unfamiliar.
- Example: “The designer presented an outlandish collection that pushed the boundaries of fashion.”
Exemplary (adjective): Serving as a desirable model; representing the best of its kind. (In a legal context, exemplary damages are punitive damages awarded to punish the defendant).
- Example: “The judge awarded exemplary damages to punish the company for its reckless behavior.”
Fruitless (adjective): Failing to achieve the desired results; unproductive or useless.
- Example: “After a week of fruitless searching, they had to admit the keys were probably lost for good.”
Circulating (verb): Passing from place to place or person to person.
- Example: “Rumors about the new policy began circulating throughout the office last week.”
Implications (plural noun): The possible results or effects of an action or a decision.
- Example: “The new trade agreement has significant implications for global economic stability.”

Discussion Questions (About the Article)

What are the central claims Candace Owens made about Brigitte Macron that led to the lawsuit?
How did the Macrons attempt to resolve the issue before filing the lawsuit?
What was Candace Owens’ immediate response to the lawsuit?
How does the article connect this specific lawsuit to a broader trend of conspiracy theories?
Do you think this lawsuit will effectively stop the spread of similar conspiracy theories? Why or why not?

Discussion Questions (About the Topic)

Why do you think conspiracy theories, especially those targeting public figures, gain so much traction?
What responsibilities do public figures and media outlets have when addressing or spreading information?
How can individuals discern credible information from misinformation online?
Should there be stricter laws regarding defamation and the spread of false information on social media?
In what ways does this case highlight the challenges of free speech versus protection against harmful lies?

Related Idiom

To double down
Meaning: To strengthen one’s commitment to a particular strategy or course of action, especially one that is proving risky or has already failed.
Example: “After the lawsuit was filed, Candace Owens decided to double down on her claims, reinforcing her earlier statements.”

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This article was inspired by: CNN, July 23, 2025.