Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron file new lawsuit in US against right-wing influencer

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte have filed a new defamation lawsuit in the United States against a conservative influencer Candace Owens, who claims the French First Lady is a transgender woman. Issued on: 11/11/2026 - 09:59 1 min Reading time The Macrons filed suit in a federal court in the southern state of Tennessee, where Owens resides, arguing that the conservative podcaster has spread lies about Brigitte being a man "to promote her independent platform, gain notoriety, and make money." Owens confirmed Monday that the suit was filed last week. The Macrons accuse Owens of doubling down on her lies about Brigitte after a first lawsuit was filed in 2025. Previous complaint Last month a judge in Delaware narrowed the scope of the previous complaint, dismissing the case against Owens herself, but allowing proceedings against the companies that she owns to continue. In their new complaint, the Macrons say Owens has "continued to use her podcast to expand her lies" to sell merchandise and collect donations. While they called her content "verifiably false and devastating lies," they noted "there is nothing shameful or defamatory about being a man, being transgender, or being gay". Owens' statements are defamatory, they argue, because they accuse the Macrons of lying to France and to the world and of committing crimes to conceal the lie. Did French media silence enable Brigitte Macron fake news story to go viral? Brigitte Macron's cases Brigitte Macron, 73, has filed cases in French courts. In September 2024, two women were convicted of spreading false claims after they posted a YouTube video in 2021 alleging that Brigitte Macron had once been a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux, who is actually her brother. In April this year ten people were found guilty of online bullying, over spreading the false claims about Brigitte Macron's gender. Stories about the First Lady's gender have regularly appeared on French social media since her husband's election in 2017, but they have flourished abroad, particularly in the US, because of Owens. "These lies have caused tremendous damage to the Macrons. Defendant has subjected the Macrons to a campaign of global humiliation," the court filing said. (with AFP)