French President Emmanuel Macron and first lady Brigitte Macron are preparing to present photographic and scientific evidence in a U.S. court to affirm Brigitte’s gender, directly challenging allegations made by conservative commentator Candace Owens.
The Macrons filed a defamation lawsuit in Delaware in July 2025 against Owens, who alleged that Brigitte, now 72, was born male and transitioned in secret.
Owens, 36, made the claims on her podcast and on X..
She declared, “I would stake my entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man.”
Tom Clare, the attorney representing the Macrons, told BBC’s Fame Under Fire podcast that the couple will provide scientific evidence as well as photographic documentation, including images of Brigitte during pregnancy.
He explained that the presentation of such evidence will meet legal standards in U.S. court.
Clare emphasized the difficulty of the process for the French first lady, stating, “It is incredibly upsetting to think that you have to go and subject yourself, to put this type of proof forward.”
“It is a process that she will have to subject herself to in a very public way. But she’s willing to do it. She is firmly resolved to do what it takes to set the record straight.”
The lawsuit accuses Owens of ignoring factual evidence while amplifying the voices of conspiracy theorists.
“Owens disregarded all credible evidence disproving her claim in favor of platforming known conspiracy theorists and proven defamers,” according to the filing.
The complaint also states that, rather than engage with efforts by the Macrons to clarify the truth, Owens mocked them and used the allegations to further engage her audience.
Clare noted that the allegations have affected Emmanuel Macron personally as well.
“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,” Clare said.
Owens’ claims mirror earlier allegations in France made by Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey.
Rift News outlined that in 2021, Brigitte Macron filed a lawsuit against both women after they circulated similar claims.
That case was initially decided in her favor but was later overturned. Brigitte has since appealed to France’s highest court.
Roy and Rey are also named in the current U.S. lawsuit against Owens.
Owens has sought to dismiss the case, framing the lawsuit as a threat to free speech.
Rift News noted that speaking to PEOPLE through a spokesperson, Owens said, “Candace Owens is not shutting up.”
“This is a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist. Candace repeatedly requested an interview with Brigitte Macron.”
She continued, “Instead of offering a comment, Brigitte is resorting to trying to bully a reporter into submission. In France, politicians can bully journalists, but this is not France. It’s America.”
The Macrons’ legal team insists they will prove Brigitte’s gender “both generically and specifically,” pointing to medical and photographic records.
