French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron filed a defamation lawsuit against American podcaster Candace Owens.
The Macrons sued Owens on Wednesday over claims she made that the first lady was born a man.
Owens is a conservative influencer and podcaster who is best known for her role in the Blexit movement, which encouraged Black Americans to leave the Democratic Party.
In the 22-page complaint, filed in Delaware Superior Court, the couple asked for unspecified damages from Owens for the harm she caused to Mrs. Macron’s reputation.
Owens lives in Delaware with her husband George Farmer and their four children.
Owens made many unconfirmed claims that Brigitte was born a male but transitioned to a woman. The Macrons said Owens ignored many demands to retract her hurtful statements – but she refused.
They said Owens continued to push her “outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions” about Brigitte Macron.
“These claims are demonstrably false, and Owens knew they were false when she published them,” the complaint stated. “Yet, she publicized them anyway. And the reason is clear: it is not the pursuit of truth, but the pursuit of fame.”
The lawsuit continued: “Ms Owens’ campaign of defamation was plainly designed to harass and cause pain to us and our families and to garner attention and notoriety. We gave her every opportunity to back away from these claims, but she refused. It is our earnest hope that this lawsuit will set the record straight and end this campaign of defamation once and for all.”
