In particular, they denounce a “global humiliation campaign”. Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron filed a complaint this Wednesday in the United States for defamation against Candace Owens, an American and conspiratorial American “influencer”.
In this 219 -page complaint, consulted by Le Parisien, the presidential couple accuses the influencer, close to Donald Trump, of having broadcast “a series of verifiable, false and devastating lies” on them, including in particular comments which claimed that Brigitte Macron would be “born man”.
The Macron couple claims there an “exemplary” amount of damages to be determined during a trial.
The couple denounces a “quest for glory”
Series of videos entitled “Becoming Brigitte”, publications on X, website, marketing of T-shirts from a false Time magazine “Man of the year” with a photo of the First Lady … Initially, the complaint of the presidential couple chronologically traces all the elements used by Candace Owens which allowed him to keep her promise, made to the world in March 2024 On the fact that Brigitte Macron is actually a man. ”
They claim that the influencer knew that she was publishing false information because she was in “quest for glory”. “Its fans base has extended to 6.9 million subscribers on X and 4.47 million on YouTube,” it is specified in the complaint.
“These lies caused a considerable wrong to the Macron,” said their lawyers, evoking a “global humiliation campaign”, but also a “vicious conspiracy” of which Brigitte Macron is target.
According to this assignment, false rumors, concerning the first lady, began to circulate in March 2021, with the publication in France by Natacha Rey, who presents himself as “independent journalist”, “false and defamatory allegations” according to which Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman. They were then taken up by other people, such as the “medium” Amandine Roy.
According to the infox at the origin of this case, very relayed in France by movement mixing conspirators, covido-skeptics or extreme right, Brigitte Macron, née Togneux, would never have existed. His brother, Jean-Michel, would have taken this identity after having changed sex-so called Brigitte.
Deemed in defamation, Natacha Rey and Amandine Roy had been sentenced in September by French justice to pay several thousand euros in damages to Brigitte Macron and 5,000 to his brother, Jean-Michel Togneux, but they were released on appeal on July 10. Brigitte Macron’s lawyer had announced her intention to appeal to cassation.
An impossible dialogue with the influencer
In their complaint, the Macron couple mentions having tried to obtain a withdrawal from the contents of Candace Owens, notably on December 3, 2024, through a request for withdrawal. “She has repeatedly ignored the multiple attempts at dialogue,” they say.
Birth announcement in the press, family photos … The lawyers of the complainants document their multiple attempts to deny information from the influencer. We see Brigitte Macron Child there, during her first communion or even during her marriage to André-Louis Auzière. From photos of Jean-Michel Trogneux, to the investitures of Emmanuel Macron in 2017 and 2022, also appear as proof that the First Lady and her brother have already found themselves well in the same room, under the objectives of the cameras.
So many evidence swept by Candace Owens, who sometimes invented new stories, but also asserted that the couple sought to “intimidate” or scare them. “Owens has exploited the request for withdrawal of December to create the buzz and arouse impatience for its next episodes,” they say.
Nearly 40 pages on the series “Becoming Brigitte”
For almost 40 pages, this complaint refutes many remarks that she pronounced in her series “Becoming Brigitte”, broadcast on social networks from January 2025. The couple also affirms that Owens have intensified their accusations since that date, while encouraging Macron to “take legal action”.
In the first episode of this series, his designer assured, according to the summons, “that no evidence will never change her mind On the fact that President Macron was manipulated by Ms. Macron and that Ms. Macron was born a man. ” “This categorically refutes his assertions that his objective is to inform his audience of the facts,” insist the couple’s lawyers.
In addition to asserting this, the influencer explains that the President of the Republic is the “product of a secret CIA program”, that he would have a link with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but also that the presidential couple is “parent by blood”.
A new request for withdrawal was sent by the couple, but the commentator continued to repeat her claims, even after the end of the series. Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron denounce “real malicious evidence”, highlighting financial reasons that motivated Candace Owens.
“The series has been massively monetized and used to request donations, promote subscriptions and enhance its personal brand. His behavior reveals a manifest will to arouse controversy for financial and reputation purposes, ”said their lawyers.
“Considerable sums” hired by the Macron couple
For the Macron couple, the damage is multiple. They point out that the many remarks made by Candace Owens and relayed by other influencers have compromised their relations “with other members of the government, potential political allies and other people”, but also had an impact on their reputation.
Having had, in particular, “engaging considerable sums to correct the facts and alleviate the infringement of their reputation”, the Macron claim “real, alleged and punitive damages, the amount of which will be specifically determined during the trial”.
“A trial before jury” was claimed. On her X account, the rather active influencer, has not yet reacted to these prosecution. However, she left a publication that comments on the presidential couple’s complaint. The user writes that Macron “have just made a spectacular error of judgment”.