Delaware Judge Dismisses Individual Lawsuit Against Podcaster Candace Owens in Macron Defamation Case
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, may proceed with portions of their defamation lawsuit against corporate entities tied to right-wing podcaster Candace Owens, a Delaware judge ruled on Tuesday, though the personal claims against Owens herself were thrown out.
Superior Court Judge Sheldon Rennie determined in a Tuesday order that the Delaware court lacked jurisdiction over Owens, who resides in Tennessee. However, the legal action against her associated businesses, Candace Owens LLC and Georgetom Inc., is permitted to advance because both entities are registered in Delaware.
At the same time, Judge Rennie deferred ruling on a broader motion to dismiss filed by Owens until both legal teams submit further briefs addressing how French defamation law and relevant statutes of limitation intersect with United States law.
The litigation stems from a complaint filed in July in Delaware Superior Court by the Macrons, who accused Owens of orchestrating what they described as a lie-filled “campaign of global humiliation” to promote her independent media platform, gain notoriety, and generate revenue. According to the court filing, the podcast series “Becoming Brigitte,” which has garnered more than 2.3 million views on YouTube, alongside related posts on X, spread verifiably false claims.
Among the central allegations detailed in the complaint is the assertion that 72-year-old Brigitte Macron was born a male named Jean-Michel Trogneux and stole another person’s identity. The lawsuit also claims the broadcasts falsely alleged that the French president and first lady are blood relatives committing incest. Furthermore, the complaint addresses the couple’s relationship history, noting that they met when the now 47-year-old president was a high school student and Brigitte was a teacher, asserting that their relationship remained within legal bounds.
Baseless speculation regarding Brigitte Macron’s gender first surfaced publicly in 2021, and the topic has since been discussed on various prominent programs hosted by commentators such as Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan. In a separate legal proceeding in France, Brigitte won a judgment in September against two women, including a self-described medium, who helped spread the rumors. However, an appeals court overturned that decision earlier this month, prompting the first lady to appeal to France’s highest court.
Reacting to the Delaware court’s decision, Owens posted a statement on social media thanking the judge and characterizing the lawsuit as an unprecedented legal overreach by a foreign leader, alleging an attempt by a sitting president to personally bankrupt an American podcaster. On her podcast, Owens previously dismissed the lawsuit as containing factual inaccuracies and described it as a public relations maneuver designed to damage her reputation. Representatives for Owens also maintained that the legal action infringes upon First Amendment protections for independent journalism, noting that the filing followed Brigitte Macron’s rejection of repeated interview requests.
Attorneys representing the Macrons released a joint statement indicating that the couple initiated legal action only after Owens ignored three separate demands to retract the statements in question. The statement asserted that the commentary was specifically designed to cause pain and harassment while driving public attention, noting that multiple opportunities were provided for a retraction before filing the complaint in court.
