Oct 27 - A judge in Delaware has limited the scope of a defamation lawsuit filed by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, allowing the couple to press claims against two Delaware-registered entities associated with right-wing podcaster Candace Owens but not against Owens personally.
Superior Court Judge Sheldon Rennie issued an order on Tuesday finding that the court did not have jurisdiction over Owens, who resides in Tennessee. The judge nonetheless permitted the action to proceed, for now, against the businesses Candace Owens LLC and Georgetom Inc because those entities are registered in Delaware.
The Macrons initiated the lawsuit in July, alleging a pattern of false statements and conspiracy theories they described as a "campaign of global humiliation." Among the allegations cited in the complaint was an assertion that France's first lady was born male.
In his order, Judge Rennie deferred ruling on Owens' motion to dismiss until the parties supply additional briefing about how French defamation law and statutes of limitation intersect with U.S. law. That guidance will inform whether aspects of the complaint can move forward or should be dismissed on legal grounds tied to foreign law and timing.
Owens reacted on social media, thanking the judge and calling the litigation "one of the grossest, legal overreaches by a foreign government leader in human history - a sitting President’s attempt to personally bankrupt a single podcaster from outside the nation in which he governs."
In their complaint, the Macrons said Owens propagated false claims and conspiracy theories about them "to promote her independent platform, gain notoriety, and make money." The lawsuit names the two Delaware entities as defendants in addition to Owens.
Context and next steps
With the court finding it lacks jurisdiction over Owens personally, the litigation will continue to focus on the Delaware-registered entities unless further legal developments alter that trajectory. The judge's request for additional briefing on the interplay between French defamation standards and U.S. procedural rules means the case could evolve as arguments over which law governs and whether limitation periods bar portions of the suit are presented and resolved.