Judge limits liability for Candace Owens

A Delaware state judge has ruled that Candace Owens cannot be held personally liable in the defamation lawsuit brought by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron. The judge, Sheldon Rennie, made this decision on Tuesday, October 27.

Legal action continues against Owens' companies

Despite the ruling, the legal action against the two companies associated with Candace Owens remains valid and can proceed. Owens, an American far-right blogger and influencer, will not face personal financial consequences if the Macron couple wins the lawsuit.

French statute of limitations considered

Judge Rennie also addressed the issue of statute of limitations. He determined that since the Macron couple are French citizens, the French statute of limitations could apply. For defamation, this period is typically three months from the date of the incident, but it can be extended to one year for statements involving racist, sexist, homophobic, or disability-related content.

Judge seeks clarification on timeline

Before making his decision, Judge Rennie requested both parties to present their arguments regarding the statute of limitations. If he ultimately applies the three-month period, the Macron couple could be dismissed from the case.

Macron couple files defamation claim

The French president and his wife initiated the defamation proceedings in the summer of 2025, stating that Candace Owens had caused them "significant and irreparable harm." They claimed that false allegations about Brigitte Macron had been repeatedly spread on social media in France since 2017.

False claims gain international attention

The misinformation about Brigitte Macron, which originated in France, gained international attention after Candace Owens took up the claim in March 2024. She amplified it through a series of videos titled Becoming Brigitte ("Devenir Brigitte"), starting in January 2025. The false information, spread by conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers, and far-right groups, claims that Brigitte Macron, born Trogneux, never existed and that her brother Jean-Michel took on her identity after changing sex.