Emmanuel Macron, the French President, is taking a page from an unexpected book. His recent defamation lawsuit against a provocative American commentator has many wondering.
Is this a simple act to defend his wife’s honour? Or is this a calculated political move, borrowed from across the Atlantic? The whole episode carries echoes of another leader’s battles with the media. A leader who likewise used the legal system as a tool.
A tool to shape his image and silence those he disliked.
A Familiar Fight Across the Atlantic
In the United States, Donald Trump has long fought with media figures. His presidency was filled with broadsides against news outlets. Recently, this feud took a new turn. The television network CBS cancelled Stephen Colbert’s popular Late Show.
The cancellation happened after Paramount, CBS’s parent company, paid a $16 million settlement to Donald Trump. Colbert himself had called the payment a "big fat bribe." Donald Trump rejoiced at the news. "I absolutely love that Colbert was fired," he posted.
Many saw the network’s move as bowing to political pressure. Especially since Paramount needs the Trump-controlled Federal Communications Commission to approve a major business deal. Stephen Colbert came back fighting. On his show, he spoke with renewed fire.
He told his audience, “They made one mistake: They left me alive!”. He used his remaining time on air to keep dissecting Donald Trump's actions. He’s taking them on. A clear message was sent. The attempt to quiet him down did not work as intended. The gloves are off.
From the Élysée to a Delaware Court
Now, in a similar vein, Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron have filed their own lawsuit. The suit is not in France, but in the U.S. state of Delaware. They are targeting right-wing influencer Candace Owens. Owens has repeatedly claimed on her podcast that Brigitte Macron was born male.
A conspiracy theory that has lingered in fringe circles for years. It alleges France’s first lady was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, which is actually her brother’s name.
The Macrons’ legal team, known for high-profile cases, filed a 219-page complaint. They call Owens’s claims “outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions.” They also accuse Owens of manufacturing falsehoods for fame and profit. She sells merchandise, including a t-shirt showing Brigitte Macron on a fake “Man of the Year” cover.
Filing in the U.S. is a big step. American law requires proving “actual malice,” a very high standard. The Macrons must show that Owens knew her claims were false but spread them anyway.
Reading Between the Lines of the Lawsuit
So, what is the deeper goal here? At first glance, this is about defending a individual’s privacy.
Brigitte Macron’s role as the president’s spouse carries no official title in France. Yet her life, including the controversial start of her relationship with a much younger Emmanuel Macron, has always drawn public attention. It is understandable that one would want to fight back against such personal and baseless attacks.
The lawsuit, as the lawyers state, was a “last resort.”
However, the action seems to be about more. The move to sue an American commentator sends a strong message. It’s a message that travels far beyond Candace Owens’s podcast audience. It rings loud and clear for media outlets back in France. French courts have already dealt with this rumour.
A libel conviction against two women was recently overturned on appeal. By taking the fight to the U.S., Macron sidesteps the French legal system. He makes a global spectacle of it. A warning is sent to any domestic critics. Be careful what you publish.
An Unwinnable War Against Online Rumours?
Opponents would say that the Macrons have every right to protect themselves. The complaint alleges Owens engaged in a campaign of “relentless bullying“.
For the most part, public figures are expected to have a thick skin yet there are are limits when things cross the line of defamation.
Spreading hurtful and demonstrably false information should have consequences. A formal defence of one's honour is a deeply rooted tradition.
This strategy, however, is a double-edged sword. In the internet age, a high-profile lawsuit often amplifies the very thing it seeks to crush.
Candace Owens has used the lawsuit to gain even more attention. “I am fully prepared to take on this battle,” she declared on her show. She calls the lawsuit a “catastrophic PR strategy” for the Macrons. Suddenly, a fringe theory is being discussed by mainstream news outlets globally.
The lawsuit itself admits that thanks to Owens, the story is “viral in Russia.” He’s made a choice.
Keep up with Daily Euro Times for more updates!
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