Candace Owens hit with new 88-count defamation lawsuit by French president and first lady

Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron filed a new federal lawsuit in Tennessee accusing the conservative podcaster of continuing to spread false claims about France’s first lady.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, have filed a new defamation lawsuit against conservative podcaster Candace Owens in Tennessee, where she lives. The Candace Owens lawsuit follows the couple’s initial complaint in 2025 and Trump’s public criticism of her claims about France’s first lady earlier this year.

The couple filed their latest complaint in federal court on Nov. 4. The 411-page filing accuses Owens of continuing to spread false claims about Brigitte Macron and using the controversy to promote her platform, sell merchandise and collect donations. The complaint sets out 88 counts of defamation, defamation by implication and false light over statements the Macrons say harmed their reputations.

The case follows an Oct. 27 ruling that narrowed the couple’s first lawsuit in Delaware. Judge Sheldon Rennie dismissed Owens as an individual defendant because the court lacked personal jurisdiction over her. He allowed the claims against Candace Owens LLC and Georgetom Inc. to continue for now, while postponing a decision on a separate legal challenge involving the time limit for filing the case.

The Delaware ruling did not decide whether Owens defamed the Macrons. The new case names her personally in federal court in her home state.

Owens acknowledged the complaint on X on Monday, Nov. 9, and responded sarcastically to allegations concerning a doll made to resemble Brigitte Macron. The Macrons say Owens used the doll to ridicule the first lady’s appearance.

Owens has repeatedly claimed that Brigitte Macron was born male and that the couple committed crimes to conceal that allegation. She promoted the claims in a video series titled “Becoming Brigitte.” The Macrons deny the accusations and say Owens continued making them after they filed their first lawsuit in July 2025.

In the new Candace Owens lawsuit, the couple stresses that being transgender is not shameful. They argue the statements are defamatory because Owens accused them of deceiving the public and committing crimes. The Tennessee case remains pending against Owens personally, while the Delaware proceedings continue against her businesses.