- By Shivangi Sharma
- Thu, 18 Sep 2025 10:27 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron are preparing to submit “photographic and scientific evidence” to a US court to counter claims made by American right-wing commentator Candace Owens. The move comes as part of a defamation lawsuit filed in July, after Owens alleged that Brigitte was born male.
Owens, a prominent conservative influencer, repeatedly claimed on her YouTube channel that Brigitte Macron was originally named Jean-Michel Trogneux and transitioned into a woman at the age of 30. The allegations, rooted in conspiracy theories circulating in France since 2021, suggest that Brigitte never gave birth to her three children and that her first husband was a fabricated character. These claims, first published in a French far-right magazine, have since gained traction online.
In March 2024, Owens reiterated the allegations, sparking outrage from the Macrons. The couple later described the remarks as “extremely upsetting,” prompting the French president to initiate legal action in the United States.
“Incredibly Upsetting” And “Distraction”
Macron’s lawyer, Tom Clare, told the BBC that the accusations had placed a heavy emotional burden on the French First Lady. “It is incredibly upsetting to think that you have to go and subject yourself to put this type of proof forward,” he said.
Clare stressed that while the claims had not derailed Macron’s presidency, they were nonetheless a distraction. “Just like anybody who is juggling a career and a family life, when your family is under attack, it wears on you. And he’s not immune from that because he’s the president of a country,” he explained.
Expert Testimony And Evidence
According to Clare, the legal team will present both photographic and scientific evidence, along with expert testimony, to prove conclusively that the allegations are false. While he did not disclose the nature of the evidence, he confirmed that Brigitte Macron was prepared to undergo the process, despite its public nature. “She is firmly resolved to do what it takes to set the record straight,” Clare said.
This is not the first time Brigitte Macron has faced such claims. In September 2023, she and her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, won a defamation case in France against two women who spread the conspiracy theory online. A Paris court ordered them to pay fines and damages.