A dramatic tale claiming a transgender surgery specialist connected to Brigitte Macron suspiciously died spread across social media following an online series from US conservative commentator Candace Owens which reignited conspiracy theories alleging the wife of the French president had formerly been a man.

The French president and first lady have filed a defamation lawsuit in Delaware over the far-right podcaster’s repeated claims that first lady Brigitte Macron was born a man.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, have sued Candace Owens, accusing her of spreading false, malicious claims.