Former President Barack Obama and former
First Lady Michelle Obama
broke their silence on recent divorce speculation during the latest episode of Michelle’s podcast
“IMO,”
which she co-hosts with her brother, Craig Robinson.
In a lighthearted opening, Michelle introduced Barack as “my man,” prompting him to joke, “She took me back! It was touch and go for a while!” When Robinson noted it was nice to have the couple in the same room, Michelle responded with a laugh: “I know, because when we aren’t, folks think we’re divorced.”
Addressing the rumors more directly,
Michelle
Obama declared:
“There hasn’t been one moment in our marriage where I’ve thought about quitting on my man. We’ve had some really hard times, and we’ve had a lot of fun times, a lot of adventures. And I’ve become a better person because of the man I’m married to.”
Rumors about the Obamas’ marriage began circulating earlier this year after Michelle skipped several major public events, including Donald Trump’s second inauguration and former president Jimmy Carter’s state funeral. The absences drew attention, especially from social media and tabloids.
During the podcast episode — which centered mostly on parenting — Robinson recounted being approached by a woman at an airport who asked, “What did he do?” referring to Barack. “I don’t even know this stuff’s going on,” the former president responded. “Then somebody will mention it to me and I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?’”
Michelle Obama, 61, has addressed her reduced public presence in recent interviews and podcast appearances. On the
“Work in Progress”
podcast in April, she said she now prioritizes her own well-being after years in the spotlight.
“I get to look at my calendar … and I chose to do what was best for me,” she said. “Not what I had to do, not what I thought other people wanted me to do.”
In another episode of
“IMO”
that same
month, she reflected
on the criticism she received for stepping back from the public eye:
“People couldn’t believe I was saying ‘no’ for any reason other than my marriage was falling apart.”
The Obamas, who married in 1992 after meeting as young
lawyers
in Chicago, have two daughters: Malia and Sasha.
