French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron have filed a defamation lawsuit against Candace Owens over the far-right influencer’s “relentless and unjustified smear campaign” falsely accusing Brigitte of being a man.
The 219-page defamation complaint filed in Delaware state court on Wednesday accuses Owens of proliferating “demonstrably false” claims through her platforms, including in an eight-part podcast and on social media, designed to feed a “frenzied fan base” in “pursuit of fame,” the Macrons allege.
“These lies have caused tremendous damage to the Macrons,” according to the lawsuit, which names Owens as well her business entities, which are incorporated in Delaware.
The false claims have subjected the Macrons to a “campaign of global humiliation, turning their lives into fodder for profit-driven lies,” the complaint says.
“Owens has dissected their appearance, their marriage, their friends, their family, and their personal history — twisting it all into a grotesque narrative designed to inflame and degrade,” the complaint alleges. “The result is relentless bullying on a worldwide scale. Every time the Macrons leave their home, they do so knowing that countless people have heard, and many believe, these vile fabrications. It is invasive, dehumanizing, and deeply unjust.”
The Independent has requested comment from a representative for Owens, who is expected to respond to the allegations on Wednesday’s podcast.
Brigitte Macron was previously awarded £6,750 in damages last year after two other far-right influencers falsely accused her of being a transgender woman.
This is a developing story
