Emmanuel Macron says he is suing US influencer to 'defend his honour' over ludicrous claims wife Brigitte was born a man - as he aims 'free speech' dig at Trump

DAILYMAIL.COM ^ | 21 August 2025 | PERKIN AMALARAJ

[dennisw]

French president Emmanuel Macron has claimed the lawsuit he and his wife have filed against right-wing American influencer Candace Owens was put forward to 'defend his honour.'

Since last year, 36-year-old Owens has espoused a crackpot theory to her four million YouTube subscribers that Macron's 72-year-old wife Brigitte was born a man.

Owens launched a podcast series called Becoming Brigitte, in which she delves into the conspiracy. She claims that Brigitte was born under the name 'Jean-Michel Trogneux.'

Her actions led Macron and his wife to file a lawsuit in the US against Owens in July, claiming that they had 'suffered substantial reputational damage' and spent 'considerable sums of money to correct the public record.'

Macron told Paris Match that while he was warned that taking legal action against Owens may result in the '"Streisand effect", drawing even more attention to these lies... It grew so big in the United States that we had to respond.

'It is a matter of upholding the truth. It’s about defending my honour. Because this is nonsense.'

He also hit out at the Trump administration, dismissing arguments that his lawsuits was an impingement on free speech.

Referring to the Trump administration's decision to ban some mainstream outlets, he said: 'It is not freedom of speech to want to prevent the truth from being restored. Those who talk about this supposed freedom of speech are the people who ban journalists from the Oval Office. I don’t accept that.'

Instead, he claims, Owens 'knew very well that she was using false news to cause damage, in the service of an ideology and with established connections with the far Right.'

[Bob434]

Yeah I haven’t either. Glad they are gone or disbanded or whatever- they were vile through and through

[Bob434]

LOL the guy community shou,d sue macron for implying that there is something wrong with gay marriage 😆

[philman_36]

Guilt by association. That's pretty transparent.

JMO, YMMV

[mac_truck]

Macron chose to sue Owens in Delaware, even though neither party lives there.

I haven't heard a cogent reason why, except possibly international judge shopping considering the Biden's have bragged they own the legal system there.

Also, Owens contends that she responded to the Macrons demands in writing, offering them ample opportunity to refute the allegations made and they chose not to, which takes the malice component of the suit off the table.

Finally, Owens work is derived from an investigative book written by French author Xavier Poussard and published in France. Macron has not sued that person in a French court which begs the question, why?

[FreedomPoster]

While I think her statements on this absurd, and pay her no attention, you do realize she has borne children, right? That pretty well proves it.

[UnwashedPeasant]

How is this defamation? There is nothing more noble to the Left than a transvestite.

[philman_36]

You took the bait...hook, line and sinker.
Guilt by association.

[Bob434]

Calling out a vile organization is “taking the bait hook line and sinker”? Lol, whatever

[Bob434]

Cover up, proves nothing 😆

[philman_36]

Equating her with them is. Do keep up.

[lee martell]

Surrogate mothers have become more commonplace and more affordable. A well placed pillow over the tummy can easily project the intended conclusion.

[mfish13]

Macron has no honor.

[liberalh8ter]

Considering this all was started by the French press and the Macrons were unsuccessful in their attempts to thwart it (they have since resorted to cyber bullying charges over there), I believe Candace thinks she's standing on terra firma. I do believe her intentions here are to expose a worldwide power vacuum of perverts. Was it wise to do this? Remains to be seen but I don't think the Macrons will prevail in their efforts here. At the end of the day and at the very least, she'll have brought a lot of attention to the fact that the Macron relationship began under extremely inappropriate circumstances.

[nopardons]

BTTT

[UnwashedPeasant]

”Those who talk about this supposed freedom of speech are the people who ban journalists from the Oval Office.”

I recall a heckler being replaced with different opposition press in the limited real estate of the Oval Office. The heckler was still free to speak elsewhere. Would Macron allow journalist Candace Owens to harass him in his palace?

[SmokingJoe]

Can’t blame Macron.
Every man worth his salt will defend his wife from malicious slander.
But then Macron should support free speech, slander or not.
No one has been slandered more than Trump but he still won.

[philman_36]

What a conspiracy!

Headline News - Candace Owens fakes pregnancy
/snickering

[Bob434]

Please show me where i equate her with them? The point is, pay attention, that it doesn’t matter what we think about what someone says, they have a right to say it. NOWHERE did i say that her comments are vile, i did however state that westboro comments are vile and disgusting. The courts have ruled that people are free to say what they want under the first amendment, with only minor restrictions. My post was a counter to posts that state that she should be sued, for that reason- that is all- NO comparison of her and the church group whatesoever.

Way to read into a comment there fella.

[Maskot]

What bothers me more is that “she” groomed him and then married “her” victim.
Why isn’t anyone screaming about that?

[philman_36]

Reply 20. She would fit right in, right?