Candace Owens was photographed with a sculpture of French President Emmanuel Macron at the SPIEF event in Russia. Macron and his wife have a defamation lawsuit against Owens.
The incident highlights the intersection of political commentary, international relations, and media narratives, particularly concerning Russia and Western figures critical of its actions.
Conservative US commentator and podcaster Candace Owens was photographed posing with a sculpture of French President Emmanuel Macron at RT's stand during the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). The sculpture is part of an exhibit titled '12 Angry Viewers of RT,' which includes likenesses of Western politicians and public figures who have criticized the broadcaster. This exhibit features figures such as Joe Biden, Ursula von der Leyen, the leaders of Germany and the UK, Volodymyr Zelensky, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. The presence of Macron's sculpture at the event is particularly notable given that he and his wife, Brigitte, filed a defamation lawsuit against Owens in July of the previous year. The lawsuit was initiated after Owens repeatedly suggested that France's First Lady was born a man. Owens has continued to assert these claims, stating she is "1,010%" convinced Brigitte Macron is transgender, especially after the lawsuit was filed. She argued that the lawsuit itself indicates the truth of her claims. Owens attended SPIEF to participate in a panel discussion on family values and media narratives. She traveled to Russia with her husband and four children, describing the trip as a "family vacation." Prior to attending the forum, Owens had toured Moscow, commenting on the city's cleanliness and orderliness, which she contrasted with media portrayals. She suggested that Western media's negative depictions of Russia are a reaction to Americans with platforms visiting the country. Owens told RT that she has been stunned by Moscow during her first visit, laughing off mainstream media "fiction" about her trip. She described the hostility toward Russia in the US as a "Cold War hangover," stating Americans are told Russia is "a no-no, and a no-go." Owens also found the US reaction to her trip "laughable," pointing to media claims about her motives, funding, and alleged links to foreign actors. She initially gained prominence urging black voters to stop supporting Democrats, joined The Daily Wire in 2020, and later launched her own YouTube show after being fired from The Daily Wire following a dispute with Ben Shapiro over Israel's war in Gaza. Owens also broke with Donald Trump over his support for Israel.