Macron Sues Candace Owens for Defamation in Explosive U.S. Lawsuit Over “Vile” Conspiracy Claims

In a bold and unprecedented legal move, French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron have filed a sweeping 218-page defamation lawsuit in a U.S. court against conservative commentator and podcaster Candace Owens, accusing her of propagating “vile and defamatory falsehoods”—including the inflammatory claim that the First Lady is secretly a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Delaware, marks the first known defamation action by a sitting head of state and spouse on American soil, and seeks to set a global precedent for holding individuals accountable for disinformation campaigns launched in the digital age.

“This case is about drawing a line against malicious fabrications and the normalization of public slander,” said the Macrons’ attorney, Thomas Clare of the prominent defamation law firm Clare Locke. “Owens has not only refused to retract her statements—she has doubled down, weaponized mockery, and amplified conspiracy for clicks.”

The complaint emphasizes not only the deeply personal attack on Brigitte Macron, but also frames Owens’ conduct as part of a broader pattern of inflammatory rhetoric, antisemitic conspiracy theories, and deliberate misinformation targeting high-profile individuals and communities.

Candace Owens, a figure long known for controversy, has previously made remarks minimizing the Holocaust, repeating antisemitic tropes, and defending Adolf Hitler. In 2019, she stated:

“If Hitler just wanted to make Germany great and have things run well, okay fine. The problem is that he wanted—he had dreams outside of Germany.”

Though she later claimed the comment was misunderstood, it drew outrage from Jewish organizations around the world. The Anti-Defamation League called her remarks “outrageous and historically inaccurate,” and the Simon Wiesenthal Center later said, “Owens traffics in the same lies and smears that fuel modern antisemitism.”

Legal experts say the Macron lawsuit—while facing the high bar U.S. law sets for public figures claiming defamation—may succeed due to the scale, repetition, and international impact of Owens’ comments.

“This isn’t just one careless statement,” said legal analyst Rebecca Miles. “It’s a sustained campaign of conspiracy, mockery, and misinformation designed to defame and provoke.”

The Macrons are demanding a jury trial and punitive damages, hoping the case will also set a moral and cultural precedent. Behind the scenes, several prominent public figures and political spouses have expressed quiet support for the lawsuit, citing their struggles with digital falsehoods, deepfakes, and character assassination online.

For many, the case signals a potential turning point in the global pushback against viral conspiracy theories and defamatory disinformation—particularly when those lies are used to smear not just politicians, but marginalized communities.

“Candace Owens has lied about Jews, distorted the Holocaust, and now smeared the First Lady of France with grotesque conspiracies,” said Jewish rights advocate Eli Stein. “At some point, society must say: enough.”

Even if the Macrons do not prevail in court, their legal salvo has already sparked a fierce debate about truth, free speech, and the real-world consequences of unchecked digital slander.