American political commentator Candace Owens has ignited a fresh controversy, accusing the French government of using a minor spelling error to discredit her serious allegations. The dispute centres on claims made by Owens regarding the French Foreign Legion and its alleged connection to events in the United States.
The Core Allegations and the Official Rebuttal
Two weeks ago, Candace Owens took to social media platform X to make explosive claims. She alleged that French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, wanted her killed. Furthermore, she suggested a link between the French Legionnaires and the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Owens stated that she had provided her "information" to the White House and federal authorities.
These claims were swiftly addressed by French officials. On November 27, a spokesperson for the French Ministry of Armed Forces told Euronews that Owens' assertions were false. The spokesperson clarified that there was no French Foreign Legion training at "Camp Riley" in Minnesota, as claimed. They added that any training in California concluded on August 25, 2025, and emphasised that nothing occurred at "Camp Riley" for the simple reason that Camp Riley does not exist.
A report by France 24 highlighted the same critical error, noting Owens had written the wrong name. The actual location is Camp Ripley in Minnesota, not "Riley". This factual inaccuracy led the French ministry to question the credibility of her entire source of information.
Owens Fights Back: A "Non-Debunking Debunk"
Addressing the criticism on her Monday podcast, Candace Owens admitted to the typographical mistake. She acknowledged writing "Riley" instead of "Ripley". However, she argued that this error should not be used to dismiss the entirety of her allegations. She labelled the French response a "non-debunking debunk".
Owens accused the ministry of focusing solely on the spelling mistake as a tactic to avoid addressing the larger narrative. She described it as a "Snopes-level" move, implying the officials were nitpicking a minor detail to evade the substantive issue. She insisted the real point was being ignored.
The French spokesperson also denied another key point, telling Euronews that Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s murder, was never a member of the French Foreign Legion. The official stated that if Robinson never served in the U.S. military, he could not have received training from the Legion.
Unanswered Questions and Legal Repercussions
Pushing back against this specific denial, Owens clarified that she never claimed Robinson was part of the Legion. She accused the ministry of "dancing around" the core issue. Instead, she posed a direct question: Was anyone trained by the French Foreign Legion present at Utah Valley University on September 10? Owens cited unnamed students who reportedly said they did not recognise many adults at the event, hinting these individuals could have Legion connections.
Owens also revealed she has not received a response from the FBI, despite earlier stating the White House confirmed receipt of her "receipts" or evidence. This controversy adds to her existing legal troubles, as she is already facing a defamation lawsuit from the Macrons for previous claims made about Brigitte Macron.
The standoff highlights a classic clash between unverified online allegations and official state denials, with a simple typo now at the heart of a widening international dispute.
