By Karim Hammam
A Delaware judge ruled Tuesday that French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte can continue their defamation lawsuit against two companies linked to right-wing podcaster Candace Owens, but not against Owens herself.
Jurisdiction Issue
Superior Court Judge Sheldon Rennie found his court lacked jurisdiction over Owens, who lives in Tennessee. The case against Candace Owens LLC and Georgetom Inc., both registered in Delaware, can proceed.
Lawsuit Background
The Macrons filed the lawsuit in July over what they called a "campaign of global humiliation" including false claims that Brigitte Macron was born male. The complaint focuses on Owens' eight-part podcast "Becoming Brigitte" and related social media posts.
Reactions
Owens thanked the judge, calling the case a legal overreach by a foreign leader. The Macrons said they sued only after Owens rejected demands to retract defamatory statements. Owens has millions of followers on X and YouTube.
Previous Legal Actions
In September, Brigitte Macron won a French court case against two women who spread rumors about her gender, but an appeals court overturned that decision this month. She has appealed to France's highest court.
