What happens when a baseless internet rumor becomes global gossip?
For French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte, it means filing a 22-count defamation lawsuit.
Against none other than right-wing commentator Candace Owens.
The couple filed the suit in Delaware.
They accused Owens of launching a “relentless year-long campaign of defamation,” according to their lawyer, Tom Clare.
What Was The Breaking Point?
Owens’ viral YouTube video titled “Is France’s First Lady a Man?”—part of a series she shamelessly called “Becoming Brigitte.”
She didn’t stop there. From promoting merch to taunting the couple online, Owens turned the conspiracy into content.
She shared it with her 4.5 million subscribers. The Macrons say they repeatedly asked her to stop.
“This was a last resort,” Clare told CNN. “These are human beings. They feel hurt like anyone would.”
The lawsuit alleges Owens ignored “incontrovertible evidence” disproving her claims.
It also alleges she used the smear campaign to build fame and fortune.
The damage? Economic, personal, and deeply invasive.
Owens responded by calling the lawsuit a “desperate PR stunt.”
Meanwhile, Macron says dealing with “fabricated stories” is the worst part of being president.
In the age of viral disinformation, the Macrons are drawing a line.
But will the courts agree? Or is this just the start of a bigger reckoning for online outrage merchants?
