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Global News
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Global News
France's Macron sues U.S. media personality for claiming his wife is a man
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, have filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit in the United States against right-wing media personality Candace Owens over her claims that the French first lady was born a man. The Macrons said in a lawsuit filed in Delaware Superior Court that Owens has waged a lie-filled 'campaign of global humiliation' and 'relentless bullying' to promote her podcast and expand her 'frenzied' fan base. The couple said the lies included that Brigitte Macron, 72, was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, the actual name of her older brother. 'These outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions included that Mrs. Macron was born a man, stole another person's identity, and transitioned to become Brigitte; Mrs. Macron and President Macron are blood relatives committing incest; President Macron was chosen to be the President of France as part of the CIA-operated MKUltra program or a similar mind-control program; and Mrs. Macron and President Macron are committing forgery, fraud, and abuses of power to conceal these secrets,' the lawsuit read. Story continues below advertisement Brigitte Macron was previously Brigitte Auzière, a 39-year-old married mother of three children, when she met Macron, who was 15 at the time, at his high school in 1993. She was a teacher and supervised the drama club where Macron was a member. He moved to Paris for his last year of high school, but promised to marry Brigitte. She later moved to the French capital to join him, and divorced before they finally married in 2007. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In January, Owens dedicated an eight-part podcast series called Becoming Brigitte, in which she alleged the first lady groomed Macron from a young age. 'I believe that Emmanuel Macron is a homosexual man that was groomed from his youth,' Owens said in one of the eight episodes. 'I believe the individual who groomed him is now his wife. I believe that his wife was born Jean‑Michel Trogneux and transitioned in his early 30s, and I believe that the entire state is colluding to protect that secret,' she added. Owens also said that she would 'stake my entire professional career on all of those points.' Story continues below advertisement The French leader and his wife's lawsuit said that Owens' lies 'have caused tremendous damage to the Macrons.' 'Defendants have subjected the Macrons to a campaign of global humiliation, turning their lives into fodder for profit-driven lies,' the complaint said. '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,' the complaint continued. 'It is invasive, dehumanizing, and deeply unjust.' The lawsuit says that Owens labels herself as 'an independent 'investigative journalist' while routinely peddling misinformation under the guise of legitimate reporting.' The complaint alleges that Owens 'has promoted a range of conspiracy theories' and claims that her content 'is not intended to inform but to inflame and attract attention through sensationalism and conspiracy theories.' 'Faced with this relentless and unjustified smear campaign, the Macrons are left with no choice but to seek relief through this Court to set the record straight, prevent further harm, and hold Defendants accountable for their conduct,' the complaint added. Story continues below advertisement In response to the lawsuit, Owens posted a photo of the Macrons on Instagram, writing, 'I will be coming for this wig today. Stay tuned.' View image in full screen A screenshot of Candace Owen's Instagram Stories. @RealCandaceOwens / Instagram The French leader and his wife are seeking an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages against Owens and her business entities. The lawsuit also demands a jury trial. —With files from Reuters and The Associated Press
Euronews
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Macrons sue Candace Owens over claims first lady was born a man
France's President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States on Wednesday against right-wing podcaster Candace Owens, accusing her of spreading false rumours that the first lady is a man. In the suit filed in the Delaware Superior Court, the Macrons said Owens had waged a "campaign of global humiliation" and "relentless bullying" for personal gain to promote her podcast. The Macrons said one of the lies repeated by Owens includes that Brigitte Macron was born Jean-Michel Trogneux, which is the name of her brother. It also accuses Owens of falsely claiming that Emmanuel Macron was installed as president of France as part of a secret CIA plot. "These outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions included that Mrs Macron was born a man, stole another person's identity, and transitioned to become Brigitte; Mrs Macron and President Macron are blood relatives committing incest; President Macron was chosen to be the President of France as part of the CIA-operated MKUltra program or a similar mind-control program; and Mrs Macron and President Macron are committing forgery, fraud, and abuses of power to conceal these secrets," the lawsuit says. The 22-count complaint is also seeking unspecified damages. The suit is a rare instance of a world leader suing for defamation. US President Donald Trump has filed multiple defamation lawsuits, including one last week against The Wall Street Journal. To win a defamation case in the US, public figures like the Macrons must be able to show that defendants engaged in "actual malice," meaning they knew that comments they had published were false. Neither Owens nor the Macrons have commented on the lawsuit. This is not the first time Brigitte Macron has sued for defamation over claims she was born male. In 2021, she filed suit against two women, Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey, for spreading the transgender rumours online which subsequently went viral. A lower court ordered both women to pay damages to both Macron and her brother, but that case ended up back in the headlines earlier this year after Macron took the case to the country's highest appeals court after the Paris appeals court overturned the conviction.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
French president and wife sue rightwing US commentator Candace Owens for defamation
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and his wife, Brigitte Macron, are suing rightwing commentator Candace Owens for defamation. In a suit filed on Wednesday in Delaware against Owens and her businesses, the Macrons say Owens has engaged in ongoing defamatory attacks against them in order to elevate her media platform, gain more audience and make money. Owens said in early 2024 that she would 'stake [her] entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man'. Since then, she has doubled down on these claims and added more, including in an eight-part podcast series called Becoming Brigitte, the lawsuit alleges. The Macrons sought retractions from Owens, the suit says, for the 'demonstrably false' claims she has made about them but she instead 'mocked them and used them as additional fodder for her frenzied fan base'. 'These outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions included that Mrs Macron was born a man, stole another person's identity, and transitioned to become Brigitte; Mrs Macron and President Macron are blood relatives committing incest; President Macron was chosen to be the President of France as part of the CIA-operated MKUltra program or a similar mind-control program; and Mrs Macron and President Macron are committing forgery, fraud, and abuses of power to conceal these secrets.' 'Because Ms Owens systematically reaffirmed these falsehoods in response to each of our attorneys' repeated requests for a retraction, we ultimately concluded that referring the matter to a court of law was the only remaining avenue,' the Macrons said in a statement. 'Ms Owens' campaign of defamation was plainly designed to harass and cause pain to us and our families and to garner attention and notoriety. We gave her every opportunity to back away from these claims, but she refused. It is our earnest hope that this lawsuit will set the record straight and end this campaign of defamation once and for all.' The falsehoods have taken a toll on the Macrons, who are now subjected to 'a campaign of global humiliation, turning their lives into fodder for profit-driven lies' and 'relentless bullying on a worldwide scale'. Beyond the reputational damage, they have spent 'considerable sums of money to correct the public record', including on legal counsel. '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,' the suit says. According to the Financial Times, the Macrons are willing to appear in court in Delaware for a trial. They are represented by Clare Locke, a heavyweight law firm that has won major defamation cases, including the Dominion lawsuit against Fox News. The lawsuit came after the Macrons have sent three separate retraction demands to Owens that included evidence disproving her claims, which she has used to 'further taunt the Macrons' and 'invent even more damaging lies', a press release from Locke says. Owens has not yet publicly responded to the claims and didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Solve the daily Crossword
Indian Express
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Macrons sue US commentator over claims that French President's wife is a ‘man'
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have filed a defamation lawsuit in Delaware against US rightwing commentator Candace Owens, accusing her of spreading false and malicious claims for personal gain. According to the lawsuit, Owens has repeatedly claimed that Brigitte Macron is a man and alleged that Emmanuel Macron is under the control of the CIA. The Macrons say Owens has used these fabrications to grow her media platform and monetise attention, including through an eight-part podcast series titled Becoming Brigitte. 'These outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions included that Mrs Macron was born a man, stole another person's identity, and transitioned to become Brigitte; Mrs Macron and President Macron are blood relatives committing incest; President Macron was chosen to be the President of France as part of the CIA-operated MKUltra program or a similar mind-control program; and Mrs Macron and President Macron are committing forgery, fraud, and abuses of power to conceal these secrets,' the lawsuit says, The Guardian reported. The Macrons said they had sent multiple retraction demands with evidence disproving the claims, but Owens responded by mocking them and intensifying her attacks. 'Because Ms Owens systematically reaffirmed these falsehoods in response to each of our attorneys' repeated requests for a retraction, we ultimately concluded that referring the matter to a court of law was the only remaining avenue,' the couple said in a statement as quoted by The Guardian. 'It is our earnest hope that this lawsuit will set the record straight and end this campaign of defamation once and for all.' The lawsuit says the campaign has subjected the Macrons to global humiliation and 'relentless bullying,' causing reputational damage and forcing them to spend 'considerable sums' to correct the public record. The couple is represented by the law firm Clare Locke, known for its role in the Dominion Voting Systems case against Fox News. According to The Financial Times, the Macrons are prepared to appear in a Delaware court for trial. Owens has not yet commented publicly on the lawsuit.
New York Post
18 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Candace Owens sued by French President Emanuel Macron, his wife for claiming Brigitte Macron was born a man who groomed her allegedly gay husband
Conspiracy-spewing podcaster Candace Owens was slapped with a defamation lawsuit Wednesday by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron for claiming that the first lady was born a male who groomed her allegedly gay husband. The Paris power couple accused Owens — who has stirred controversy for spouting antisemitic conspiracy theories — of pushing fictions that Mrs. Macron 'was born a man, stole another person's identity, and transitioned to become Brigitte,' according to the 200-page complaint filed in a Delaware. Brigitte Macron, 72, was a 39-year-old school teacher when she became the future French leader's educator — when he was 15 — in 1993. The pair have been married for nearly two decades after getting hitched in 2007. Advertisement 4 French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron have filed a defamation lawsuit in a Delaware court against controversial podcaster Candace Owens. via REUTERS In January, Owens ran an eight-part podcast series that obsessed over their May-December romance, according to the complaint 'I believe that Emmanuel Macron is a homosexual man that was groomed from his youth,' Owens said in one of the episodes. Advertisement 'I believe the individual who groomed him is now his wife. I believe that his wife was born Jean‑Michel Trogneux and transitioned in his early thirties, and I believe that the entire state is colluding to protect that secret.' 4 The 200-page defamation complaint catalogs what it calls the most extreme allegations made by Owens about the Macrons. Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images 'And like I said, I would stake my entire professional career on all of those points.' The lawsuit also cited statements made by Owens on her podcast that claimed 'Mrs. Macron and President Macron are blood relatives committing incest' and that 'President Macron was chosen to be the president of France as part of the CIA‑operated MKUltra program or a similar mind‑control program.' Advertisement MKUltra was a covert, illegal CIA program that conducted extensive human experiments to research mind control, interrogation methods and psychological manipulation. The agency closed down the program in 1973. Another statement cited in the lawsuit quotes Owens as saying that the Macrons 'are committing forgery, fraud, and abuses of power to conceal these secrets.' Owens also used social media to accuse President Macron of violating the law. She posted on X: 'Emmanuel Macron married a man. Which was illegal at the time that he did it.' Advertisement She separately posted: 'Because his marriage was an illegal act. Emmanuel Macron broke the law when he married his groomer.' 4 Owens has claimed that Brigitte Macron was born a man and that she 'groomed' her husband. Eliot Blondet-Pool/SIPA/Shutterstock A spokesperson for Owens told The Post that the podcaster would address the lawsuit during her upcoming broadcast at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The Post has sought comment from the Macrons' lawyers. In 2021, the French first lady sued two women for libel in France after they spread claims on social media and YouTube that she was born a man. A lower French court found the two women liable for defamation and awarded damages to Brigitte Macron and her brother in 2023. Earlier this month, the Paris Appeals Court overturned those convictions, accepting a 'good faith' defense and ruling the statements not actionable, which nullified the damages award. 4 Owens, formerly of the Daily Wire, has been accused of antisemitism over comments she has made about Jews and Israel. Getty Images Advertisement Brigitte Macron and her brother have appealed to the Court of Cassation, France's highest appellate court, where the case remains pending. Owens is no stranger to controversy. She has repeatedly courted outrage with antisemtic remarks minimizing Hitler's ambitions as well as defending Kanye West's tweets. She has also amplified a grab‑bag of conspiracy theories such as questioning the moon landing and promoting COVID‑19 vaccine misinformation.
