The unthinkable has happened. A foreign head of state crossed international borders to silence an American podcaster. The unprecedented move sent shockwaves through media circles yesterday.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte filed a defamation lawsuit Wednesday against Candace Owens in Delaware court. The action marked the first time a sitting French president has sued an American media personality for defamation. The legal papers hit like a diplomatic thunderbolt.
International Legal Battle Erupts as France’s First Couple Takes Action Against American Conservative Commentator Candace Owens
The lawsuit centers on Owens’ persistent claims that Brigitte Macron was born male. The 22-count civil complaint accuses the conservative commentator of spreading “outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions” across her podcast and social media platforms. The French couple alleges Owens fabricated wild conspiracy theories including identity theft, incest, and government fraud to boost her subscriber count and revenue streams.
🚨 The President of France is suing Candace Owens for repeatedly claiming his wife was born a man. pic.twitter.com/jwloeg3T3g
— Micah Erfan (@micah_erfan) July 23, 2025
Owens fired back with characteristic defiance. Her spokesperson declared she “is not shutting up” and branded the legal action as “a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist.” The podcaster doubled down in a Wednesday video, mockingly referring to being “sued by the First Lady man of France” and dismissing the case as desperate public relations theater.
The Macrons attempted diplomatic resolution first. Their attorneys revealed three separate retraction requests were ignored before legal action became their final option. The couple seeks punitive damages across 22 counts of defamation, false light, and defamation by implication. Their legal team includes the same powerhouse attorneys who secured Fox News’ $790 million settlement for Dominion Voting Systems.
This international defamation battle threatens to escalate beyond courtroom drama. Owens commands over 4.4 million YouTube subscribers and maintains fierce loyalty among conservative audiences. Her history of controversial statements previously led Australia to reject her visa application over Holocaust-related comments. Now France’s most powerful couple has declared war on her platform, setting up a clash between European dignity laws and American free speech protections that could reshape international media accountability
