French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron are set to present photographic and scientific evidence in a US court to counter persistent claims about Mrs Macron’s gender.
The couple has filed a defamation lawsuit against American political commentator and right-wing influencer Candace Owens, who has repeatedly promoted the false allegation that Brigitte Macron was born male. The case was lodged in July and seeks a jury trial as well as punitive damages.
The Defamation Claims
According to court filings, Owens ignored clear evidence disproving her assertions and instead relied on conspiracy theorists and discredited sources.
Owens, who previously worked as a commentator for the Daily Wire, has millions of followers across social media platforms. She has claimed she would “stake [her] entire professional reputation” on the accusation that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux. In reality, Trogneux is Mrs Macron’s elder brother.
The commentator also repeated the allegations in an eight-part YouTube podcast series, amplifying the conspiracy internationally.
The Macrons’ legal team argue that the couple has suffered “substantial reputational damage” and “substantial economic damages” as a result of the smear campaign. “This is about defending my honour! Because this is nonsense,” Mrs Macron said.
A High Legal Bar in the US
Under American defamation law, the Macrons must prove “actual malice,” meaning that Owens either knew the information was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. Owens’s lawyers have already filed a motion to dismiss the case.
Scientific and Photographic Evidence
Tom Clare, the couple’s lawyer, told the BBC’s Fame Under Fire podcast that expert testimony and medical documentation confirming Mrs Macron’s female sex from birth would be presented in court.
“There will be expert testimony that will come out that will be scientific in nature,” Clare said, noting that the evidence would definitively disprove the allegations.
In addition to scientific proof, the Macrons intend to submit photographs of Brigitte Macron during her pregnancies, as well as records of her family life.
Now 72, Mrs Macron has three children from her previous marriage, born in 1975, 1977, and 1984. She is also a grandmother to seven.
A Wider Impact
The case highlights not only the personal toll of conspiracy theories but also the challenges of combating misinformation in the digital age. For the Macrons, however, the issue is deeply personal—a fight to protect dignity, family, and truth on an international stage.