French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, are set to present “photographic and scientific evidence” in a US court to refute transphobic claims made by far-right commentator Candace Owens. The defamation suit follows repeated online allegations that Brigitte Macron was assigned male at birth and groomed the a teenage Emmanuel Macron before transitioning to female.
Brigitte Macron, 72, met Emmanuel Macron, 24 years her junior, while teaching at a high school in Amiens, northern France. The couple’s lawyer, Tom Clare, co-founder of Clare Locke, said the allegations had been “incredibly upsetting” and distracted the president.
“I don't want to suggest that it somehow has thrown him off his game. But just like anybody who is juggling a career and a family life as well, when your family is under attack, it wears on you,” Clare said. “He's not immune from that because he's the president of a country.”
Clare confirmed that expert testimony would be scientific in nature, though he did not specify its exact details. He added, “We are prepared to demonstrate fully, both generically and specifically, that the allegations are false.” He further highlighted the personal impact on the couple. “These folks are obviously important on the world stage, but they're also human beings, and it's offensive and hurtful to be accused of effectively criminal acts and conspiring to lie to the world about their identities.”
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The Macrons previously won a defamation case in France against bloggers Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey in 2024, but the ruling was overturned on appeal in 2025 on freedom of expression grounds. Clare said the Delaware suit against Owens in July followed a fruitless year-long attempt to persuade her to stop spreading false claims.
Owens, 36, with over six million Instagram followers, has repeatedly alleged that Brigitte Macron was born male, claiming in March 2024 that she would stake her “entire professional reputation” on it. Clare said the investigation revealed strong links between Owens and the French far-right.
Court submissions are expected to include images and evidence documenting Brigitte Macron’s role as a mother and educator, strengthening the couple’s case to counter misinformation circulating online.
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