Brigitte Macron to Present Evidence in Court Amid Conspiracy Theory Lawsuit Against Candace Owens

Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron at the G7 Summit in Cornwall, England, in June 2021

French First Lady Brigitte Macron is preparing to present photographic and scientific evidence in court to prove her gender as part of an ongoing lawsuit against American commentator Candace Owens.

President Emmanuel Macron and his wife filed the suit after Owens, 36, became one of the most vocal promoters of a viral conspiracy theory claiming that Brigitte, 72, was born a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux, who is actually her brother. The French first couple has described the allegations as a “campaign of global humiliation.”

In March 2024, Owens declared on X that she would “stake [her] entire professional reputation” on the claim that Brigitte is a man. Despite later filing a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, she has continued to mock the Macrons and use the conspiracy to rally her audience.

Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron are bringing a defamation suit against Candace Owens, the Right-wing social media influencer

The couple’s attorney, Tom Clare, explained that Brigitte is determined to publicly disprove the claims, even though the process is “incredibly upsetting.” He confirmed that scientific expert testimony will be provided to establish Brigitte’s biological sex “both generically and specifically.” Clare also noted that photographs of Brigitte pregnant and raising her children may be introduced as evidence in court.

In their July 2025 filing, the Macrons accused Owens of deliberately ignoring credible evidence while platforming conspiracy theorists. The lawsuit states, “These claims are demonstrably false, and Owens knew they were false when she published them. Yet, she published them anyway. And the reason is clear: it is not the pursuit of truth, but the pursuit of fame.”

The controversy has also taken a toll on Emmanuel Macron. Clare acknowledged that while the president continues to carry out his duties, “when your family is under attack, it wears on you. And he’s not immune from that because he’s the president of a country.”

Candace Owens, the American Right-wing social media influencer, has claimed Brigitte Macron was born male

The suit also names Amandine Roy, a self-proclaimed spiritual medium, and Natacha Rey, an independent journalist, who previously circulated the same claims in a YouTube video. Although a French judge overturned their earlier libel convictions, Brigitte has appealed her case to France’s highest court.

Owens’ spokesperson responded by framing the lawsuit as an attack on free speech, stating, “This is a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist. Candace Owens is not shutting up.”

The case is expected to test the balance between defamation claims, freedom of speech, and the global reach of conspiracy theories.