French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron filed a lawsuit Wednesday against an American podcast host, claiming the conservative influencer was involved in defamation.
The lawsuit, filed in a Delaware court, focuses on Candace Owens’ claims that the French first lady was born a man and transitioned into a woman under a stolen identity, as well as allegations that the Macrons are related and therefore commit incest, and that Macron was chosen as the French president by the CIA, the U.S. intelligence agency.
The 219-page lawsuit seeks a jury trial on 22 counts related to claims made on Owens’ show, including an eight-part series that made a series of allegations about the Macrons, as well as the denial of three requests to retract information from last December, the lawsuit says.
“Owens ignored all credible evidence that refuted her claim in favor of well-known conspiracy theorists and proven detractors. Instead of engaging with President and Mrs. Macron’s efforts to set things straight, Owens ridiculed them and used them as additional fodder for her angry fan base,” the lawsuit filed by lawyers representing the Macrons states.
“Owens published the Series X and related posts with a reckless disregard for the truth. Owens was repeatedly presented with credible, verifiable evidence that refuted her claims — including documentation, public records, and direct contacts with the Macrons. Instead of correcting the records, she redoubled her efforts,” it added.
The lawsuit names Owens, her company Candace Owens LLC, and website operator GeorgeTom Inc. as defendants.
