French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron are taking extraordinary legal measures to combat conspiracy theories targeting their family. The presidential couple has initiated a defamation lawsuit in the United States against right-wing influencer Candace Owens, preparing to present unprecedented scientific and photographic evidence to counter false claims about Mrs. Macron’s gender identity.
The unusual legal battle stems from persistent online allegations promoted by Owens, who has repeatedly claimed that Brigitte Macron was born male. These conspiracy theories originated in fringe internet communities before gaining wider attention through Owens’ substantial social media following, which numbers in the millions across various platforms.
Owens, formerly associated with conservative media outlet Daily Wire, has staked her professional reputation on these unsubstantiated allegations. Her promotion of the conspiracy theory represents one of the most high-profile cases of misinformation targeting a world leader’s spouse, prompting the French first family to pursue legal remedies in American courts.
The allegations first surfaced through a 2021 YouTube video created by French bloggers Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey, who promoted similar unfounded claims. These conspiracy theories later migrated to international platforms, gaining traction among certain political audiences despite lacking any credible evidence.
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