In response to a
relentless and defamatory campaign by American political commentator Candace Owens, French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron are taking decisive action. The presidential couple
has hired private investigators to dig into Owens's connections with the
far-right, signaling a major escalation in their fight against a baseless and
transphobic conspiracy theory.
The Presidential Counter-Attack Takes Shape
According to a new
report from the Financial Times, the Macrons are not just relying on the French
legal system. They have engaged investigators to scrutinize the network and
influence of Candace Owens, a prominent pro-Trump podcaster and figure on the
American far-right. Owens has made it her personal mission to "prove"
the outlandish theory that Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman who was born
a man.
The presidential couple
filed a formal legal complaint at the end of July, but this new move shows they
are now on the offensive. Owens is the creator of a video series titled "Becoming Brigitte," in which she asserts that the First Lady was born
male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux. The bizarre conspiracy claims that
this child, Jean-Michel, then "replaced" his sister Brigitte, who
allegedly died without her death ever being officially recorded. It is this
series that Owens has used as a platform to launch her transphobic attacks,
which have gained significant traction in conspiratorial circles online.
International Legal Action and
Political Fallout
The situation has
escalated dramatically in recent weeks.
International Legal Strategy: The Macrons' legal team is now pursuing a
multi-pronged international strategy. Sources close to the Élysée Palace have confirmed to
Le Monde that the legal complaint is not limited to France. Lawyers in the United States have been retained to
explore potential defamation lawsuits against Owens on U.S. soil. This is a
significant move, as it bypasses the complexities of international jurisdiction
and takes the fight directly to Owens's home turf, where the standards for
proving public figure defamation are notoriously high.
Political Condemnation and White House Response: The conspiracy has become so prominent that it has
forced a response from the highest levels of government. The White House issued a statement condemning the "malicious
and unfounded personal attacks" against the French First Lady, describing
them as "disinformation designed to undermine a key U.S. ally." This
rare intervention highlights the diplomatic stakes, as the U.S. administration
seeks to distance itself from the actions of a prominent pro-Trump political
commentator.
Owens Doubles Down: Unfazed by the legal threats and political
condemnation, Candace Owens has doubled down on her claims. In a recent episode
of her podcast, she framed the Macrons' legal action as an attempt to
"silence a journalist who is getting too close to the truth." She has
launched a fundraising campaign for her legal defense, positioning herself as a
free-speech martyr fighting against a globalist elite. This has further
galvanized her supporters and amplified the conspiracy within the far-right
media ecosystem.
A New Front in the Disinformation Wars
This case represents a dangerous new front in
the global disinformation wars. It is no longer just about political disagreements
or false narratives about policy; it is about deeply personal, cruel, and
fabricated attacks on the identity of a major public figure. The goal is not
just to politically weaken President Macron but to dehumanize his wife and, by
extension, delegitimize his entire presidency through ridicule and scandal.
The Macrons' decision to hire private
investigators is a clear signal that they are treating this not as a simple
case of libel, but as a coordinated political attack. Their investigation aims
to uncover the potential funding and networks behind Owens's campaign,
exploring whether it is an isolated obsession or part of a broader,
well-financed effort by far-right actors to destabilize a key European leader.
This confrontation sets a critical precedent. It
raises profound questions about the responsibility of social media platforms,
the limits of free speech when it veers into malicious fabrication, and the
strategies democratic leaders must now adopt to fight back against a new brand
of political warfare that knows no borders and has no regard for truth or human
dignity.
Share this article to discuss the escalating battle
between political figures and the global disinformation machine! 📲💬
