Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, are planning to present photographic and scientific evidence to a US court to prove Mrs. Macron is a woman.
Their lawyer says the French president and Mrs. Macron will present the documentation in a defamation suit they have taken against right-wing influencer Candace Owens after she promoted her belief that Brigitte Macron was born male.
Ms. Owens' lawyers have responded with a motion to dismiss the claim.
Speaking on the BBC's Fame Under Fire podcast, the Macrons' lawyer, Tom Clare, stated that Mrs. Macron has found the claims incredibly upsetting and that they have been a distraction for the president.
I don't want to suggest that it somehow has thrown him off his game. But just like anybody who is juggling a career and a family life 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, he said.
Mr. Clare also assured that expert testimony, which will be scientific in nature, would back their claims, although the precise details are not yet being revealed. He reiterated that the couple is ready to face the public scrutiny that comes with providing such evidence.
Speaking about the emotional burden, Mr. Clare added, It is incredibly upsetting to think that you have to go and subject yourself to put this type of proof forward. But she's willing to do it. She is firmly resolved to do what it takes to set the record straight.
When asked if they would include pictures of Brigitte pregnant and raising their children, Mr. Clare confirmed that such evidence exists and would be presented in court, where standards apply.
This saga began when Owens, a prominent figure within conservative circles, accused Brigitte of being a man both on social media and in videos. In March 2024, she claimed she would stake her entire professional reputation on this assertion.
The initial allegation found traction in fringe online communities and was notably propagated by French bloggers Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey in a 2021 YouTube video. The Macrons previously won a defamation case in France against Roy and Rey in 2024, but that ruling was overturned on appeal in 2025 due to freedom of expression grounds.
In July, they filed a lawsuit against Owens in the US, alleging she ignored substantial evidence disproving her claims and instead showcased known conspiracy theorists. In US defamation cases involving public figures, plaintiffs must prove actual malice, meaning the defendant knowingly spread false information.
In August, Emmanuel Macron explained the reasoning behind their legal pursuit, stating, This is about defending my honour! Because this is nonsense. This is someone who knew full well that she had false information and did so with the aim of causing harm, in the service of an ideology and with established connections to far-right leaders.
Owens' team has countered with motions arguing that the lawsuit should not have been filed in Delaware, asserting that it poses substantial operational hardships. The legal battle continues as the Macrons seek to clear their names amidst ongoing controversy.
