New Delhi, July 23 -- French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron have filed a defamation lawsuit in the US against influencer Candace Owens, accusing her of spreading damaging falsehoods, including the claim that France's First Lady was born male, a report said.

The 218-page lawsuit, filed in Delaware on Wednesday, marks a highly unusual move - a sitting world leader personally pursuing legal action against a social media personality.

According to the Financial Times, the suit describes Owens' comments as "outlandish, defamatory and far-fetched fictions." Chief among the allegations is Owens' claim that Brigitte Macron was born male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux.

The lawsuit also accuses Owens of promoting wild...