Owens seeks medical exam for Brigitte Macron as defamation case escalates

Candace Owens, a prominent conservative commentator, said she intends to press ahead with a third-party medical examination of Brigitte Macron as part of the defamation lawsuit filed by French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron over her claim that the first lady is secretly a man. In remarks reported by the Daily Mail, Owens signaled she would seek not only the release of Brigitte Macron’s medical records but a court-ordered examination by an independent physician as part of the discovery process in Delaware.

The Macron couple filed a 218-page defamation complaint in Delaware on July 23, seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They allege that Owens’ statements, circulated across her social media channels and on other platforms, defamed them and subjected them to harassment. If the case advances to discovery, Owens could be compelled to produce Brigitte Macron’s medical records, and later face a request that Brigitte sit for a third-party medical examination to verify the gender at birth. Macron lawyer Tom Clare described the allegations as a distraction and said the matter is distressing for the First Lady. He noted the case remains in its early stages and no courtroom date has been set.

The defamation dispute traces back to online claims that originated in 2021 in a French far-right magazine and were amplified by French bloggers Natacha Rey and Amandine Roy. Owens publicly engaged with the conspiracy theory on her platforms, citing what she described as the results of a “thorough investigation.” The Macrons have maintained that the allegations are false and have pursued legal action in the United States. They have said they intend to present evidence, including expert testimony and, potentially, photographs, to support their case, under the court’s rules on admissibility. BBC reporting on the matter has cited the Macrons’ lawyer as indicating that expert testimony of a scientific nature will be introduced, without providing specifics.

Owens and her millions of followers have continued to push the claims on social media since the suit was filed in July. The case has drawn attention in U.S. political circles as an example of transatlantic tensions over defamation, free speech, and the accountability of high-profile public figures for statements that may affect the reputations of foreign leaders. The Daily Mail’s coverage notes that the allegations originated in a 2021 article from a small French outlet and gained traction through several online figures, eventually leading to the current U.S. lawsuit.

From a legal perspective, the Macrons have asked the court to hold Owens responsible for what they describe as a campaign of falsehoods that caused them personal and reputational harm. Owens’s legal team has moved to dismiss aspects of the claim, arguing that the broadcasts are protected by free-speech principles and that the case should be narrowed in scope. The proceedings are in their early discovery phase, and no trial date has been set. The Macrons have previously pursued related defamation actions in France; a prior ruling in a separate case involving Roy and Rey was overturned on appeal earlier this year on freedom-of-expression grounds, and they are appealing that decision.