French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife will soon provide a US court with ‘photographic and scientific evidence’ to prove that Brigitte Macron is a woman. The update came weeks after the couple filed a defamation case against right-wing American podcaster Candace Owens. The Macrons have accused her of waging a lie-filled “campaign of global humiliation” and “relentless bullying” to promote her podcast.
According to reports, they will present documentation that “generally and specifically” disproved Owen. Lawyer Top Clare told BBC during a podcast that the court would be provided “expert testimony” which was “scientific in nature”. He did not elaborate on what such “scientific and photographic evidence” might entail during the trial.
‘Invasive, dehumanizing, and deeply unjust’
The 22-count complaint seeks an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages — a rare case of a world leader suing for defamation. Clare also told the BBC that Brigitte Macron had found the claims “incredibly upsetting” and they were also a “distraction” to the French president.
“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,” their complaint said.
What does Candace Owens claim?
The oft-repeated claims peddled by Owens and other critics insinuate that Brigitte Macron was born male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux — the actual name of her older brother. The American podcaster had begun sharing conspiracy theories about the gender identity of Brigitte Macron in 2024 — insisting that she would stake her “entire professional reputation” on the claim.
The French President and his wife have repeatedly asked Owens to retract her claims — with US President Donald Trump also getting involved earlier this year. The far-right commentator claimed in June that the POTUS had personally called her to urge an end to the ongoing claims against Brigitte Macron.