French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron have filed a defamation lawsuit in the U.S. state of Delaware against American journalist and political commentator Candace Owens. According to the Financial Times, the influential right-wing activist had previously claimed that the French First Lady is "actually a man."
The 218-page lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, accuses Owens of publishing "absurd, defamatory, and contrived fabrications," chief among them the allegation that Brigitte Macron was born male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux.
Beyond the gender-related accusations, Owens also alleged that the Macrons are blood relatives. As further outlined in the filing, she went as far as to claim that President Macron is "a product of a CIA human experiment or similar government mind-control program."
The case presents a legal challenge for the Macrons, as U.S. defamation law requires public figures to prove "actual malice"-meaning the publisher either knew the information was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.
The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and punitive damages. The Financial Times reports that, according to the couple's legal team, both Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron are prepared to personally appear in court in the United States.
Brigitte Macron Previously Faced Defamation Verdict in France
The lawsuit follows a previous legal battle in France in which Brigitte Macron was left devastated by a court ruling. In that case, the court acquitted two women who had criticized her, including accusations that she had corrupted her husband.
