In a legal action of unprecedented scope and sensitivity, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have announced they will provide “scientific evidence” in a U.S. court to prove that the first lady is a woman, their lawyer has confirmed. The extraordinary step is part of a high-stakes defamation lawsuit against American right-wing commentator Candace Owens, whose repeated promotion of a long-debunked conspiracy theory has launched a global campaign of humiliation against the Macrons.
The lawsuit, filed in a Delaware court, accuses Owens of waging a relentless campaign of “defamatory, and far-fetched fictions,” including the central claim that Brigitte Macron was born a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux, the first lady’s older brother. The case has moved to a new and extraordinary phase, with the Macrons’ lawyer, Tom Clare, telling the BBC that his clients were prepared to take the stand and present “expert testimony that will come out that will be scientific in nature” to counter the false claims.
For Brigitte Macron, 72, the legal process will be a public and deeply personal ordeal, but her lawyer said she is “firmly resolved to do what it takes to set the record straight.” Clare did not specify the exact nature of the scientific evidence but said it would demonstrate “both generically and specifically” the falsity of the allegations. He added that the couple would also present photographic evidence, including images of the first lady pregnant and raising her children, to be presented in open court where “there are rules and standards.”
The legal battle underscores the unique challenges of fighting online misinformation across international borders. To win the defamation case in a U.S. court, the Macrons, as public figures, must meet the high bar of proving “actual malice”—that Owens knew the claims were false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. By offering scientific and photographic evidence, the couple aims to establish that their case is not simply about politics but about fact.
Owens’ legal team has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the case is a politically motivated attempt by a foreign government to suppress the free speech of an American journalist. Owens has also publicly doubled down on her claims, which she has stated she would “stake [her] entire professional reputation on.”
The Macrons’ decision to sue in the U.S. follows a setback in their native France, where a court initially found two French bloggers liable for spreading the same false claims, only to have that verdict overturned on appeal on free speech grounds. The couple has now appealed that decision to the country’s highest court, making it clear that they are prepared to continue their fight on multiple legal fronts. For the Macrons, the battle against the conspiracy theory is not just about their personal dignity; it is a test of whether verifiable truth can still prevail in an age of rampant digital disinformation.