In January, Michelle Obama notably skipped two state events, events which she “should” have attended as the former first lady. She skipped Jimmy Carter’s state funeral and she skipped Donald Trump’s second inauguration. At both events, Barack Obama attended solo. He even sat next to Trump at Carter’s funeral, which is the seating protocol. After Michelle skipped those two events back-to-back, there were so many rumors about the state of the Obamas’ marriage and something something separate lives. Michelle later said/indicated that she skipped those events because of Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. Michelle feels like she’s earned the right to skip some of the state events now, especially because of Trump, and none of it is a reflection of her marriage. Well, these days, Michelle is doing a podcast with her brother Craig. This week, Barack was the pod guest. He and Michelle started joking about their faux-divorce right away.
Former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are addressing rumors about a divorce head-on in an episode of her podcast released Wednesday.
“She took me back!” Barack Obama said on the “IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson” podcast. “It was touch and go for a while.”
“It’s so nice to have you both in the same room together,” said Robinson, who is Michelle Obama’s brother, to the couple. Michelle responded, “I know because when we aren’t, folks think we’re divorced.”
Robinson recounted a story when a woman at an airport approached him to ask about their marriage. “‘What did he do?’” Robinson said she asked him.
“These are the kinds of things that I just miss,” Barack Obama said. “So I don’t even know this stuff’s going on and then somebody will mention it to me and I’m like what are you talking about?”
Michelle Obama continued on saying, “There hasn’t been one moment in our marriage where I’ve thought about quitting on my man. And we’ve had some really hard times and we’ve had a lot of fun times, a lot of adventures and I have become a better person because of the man I’m married to.”
I giggled at “she took me back!” I’m including the video below – Barry’s delivery is perfect, especially “it was touch and go for a while!” Yeah, they’re fine. I think they’ve also reached that stage in their marriage where they appreciate some time apart, but they still come together and enjoy being together most of the time. Anyway, remember when we had lovely people in the White House? Remember when Michelle planted a garden? Remember President Obama’s dad jokes every year at the turkey-pardon? *sobs*
“Don’t make me cry now.” Barack and Michelle Obama address divorce rumors for the first time. pic.twitter.com/FpaooIqGyp
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) July 16, 2025
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Tennis : Us Open 2023 – Michelle Obama – Centre Court -,Image: 801428525, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chryslene Caillaud / Panoramic/Avalon
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- Former First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, USA, at the United Center on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. Copyright: xAnnabellexGordonx/,Image: 900383674, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Annabelle Gordon / CNP /MediaPunch / Avalon
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- Michelle Obama speaks at a Get out the Vote rally at Norristown High School, Norristown, PA, USA, on 02 November 2024.,Image: 930050876, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: William T. Wade Jr./Photography/Avalon
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- Former US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are seen watching Novak Djokovic Vs Alexandre Muller at the U.S Open on Arthur Ashe Stadium Featuring: Barack Obama, Michelle Obama Where: Flushing Meadows, New York, United States When: 28 Aug 2023 Credit: Robert Bell/INSTARimages
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- Former US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are seen watching Novak Djokovic Vs Alexandre Muller at the U.S Open on Arthur Ashe Stadium Featuring: Barack Obama, Michelle Obama Where: Flushing Meadows, New York, United States When: 28 Aug 2023 Credit: Robert Bell/INSTARimages
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- Former US President Barack Obama and Former First Lady Michelle Obama embrace before his remarks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, USA, at the United Center Featuring: Former US President Barack Obama, Former First Lady Michelle Obama Where: Chicago, Illinois, United States When: 20 Aug 2024 Credit: CNP/INSTARimages
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- Former US President Barack Obama and Former First Lady Michelle Obama on stage at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, USA, at the United Center Featuring: Former US President Barack Obama, Former First Lady Michelle Obama Where: Chicago, Illinois, United States When: 20 Aug 2024 Credit: CNP/INSTARimages
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- Get out and Vote Rally at Norristown Highschool Featuring: Michelle Obama Where: Norristown, pennsylvania, United States When: 02 Nov 2024 Credit: William Wade/INSTARimages
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- Former President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump speak ahead of the state funeral services for former President Jimmy Carter at the National Cathedral on January 9, 2025 in Washington, D.C Featuring: Barack Obama, Donald J Trump, Melania Trump Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 09 Jan 2025 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
I’m going to start tearing up now. Omg, decency, civility, humor, logic…whaaaa!!!!
Watching the video, the way his throat catches as he’s trying to laugh off the profoundly loving things she just said….oof, my heart! I love them together so much. They make a lovely team.
That was adorable and made me tear up. They are such a wonderful example of a great marriage.
I can’t watch those two together too often, because tears…
One of the Krassensteins shared a lovely video of them answering questions without talking. So. Cute.
https://x.com/EdKrassen/status/1945962599599763861
Adorable! They’re okay.
Your post is funny because when you said Krassenstein, I thought it was a clever play on Kardashian. My head was not in a wholesome space. I love the video! They are so cute
Seeing them together laughing, talking, joking and sharing with each other and allowing us to see some of that was so refreshing. I never thought there was anything to those trash rumors but people were really rolling with it — including some folks here in this space. Saying she should suck it up and go to the events with DT in attendance because it’s her duty. Some of the same people (I am in that camp) who defend Meghan’s right to stay away from that wretched island.
Why stand with a man who heaped lies and abuse onto your family? Black women are not your doormats.
Also — the Obamas are so hot 🔥🥵🔥
God damn, I miss having a president with a great sense of humor. Barack uses it so well in all kinds of situations.
Biden had some zingers in his term too.
I’ve been listening to this episode this morning! So so good, love all three of them, Michelle is so insightful and thought provoking in their podcasts. BO is a delight, but my goodness he chooses his words so carefully that he comes across as halting almost! Craig is also delightful and insightful. Love this podcast, so happy they’re doing it.
My mother always told me you don’t have one marriage, you have several marriages….
–the one where you fall in love and everything is crazy in love and young and fun
–the one where you have kids and raise them together, they are your pride and joy
–the one where they leave the nest and you are alone again….Who are you? Who am I? I hate you! I love you! WE NEED SOME SPACE TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT. Health problems. Taking care of older relatives. Friends dying. New discoveries like career change or retirement. Life going on together as you decide every day when you wake up that “yep, I’m still up for it.”
–the one in your golden years (if you’re lucky) where you are so grateful for every day that you get to spend it with your wife or husband, and everything that drove you nuts still drives you nuts but it’s shaded with affection and a deep abiding love. You laugh. A LOT
My parents were married for 54 years until my Dad passed and it was NOT a bed of roses, but they raised a family and laughed so much. I am forever grateful to both of them for showing me the warps and woofs of sticking together. Sounds like Michelle and Barak have discovered the same, and are doing just fine if they can laugh about it together ❤️
This is lovely.
That’s a fantastic way of looking at it.
They also did a couples quiz for the IMO podcast and the video of it is just so much fun 🤍🤍🤍
I’m so glad they did this segment, because it was going to break my heart if they split up — they are such pillars of goodness amid the insanity of the current hellscape.
She’s been pretty upfront about not wanting to share airspace with he who’s not worth naming.
And any way anyone who questions couples spending time apart has probably never been in a functional LTR. Time apart is what makes it work. You get new stories to tell each other.
Right? And in the immortal words of Taylor Swift, “you don’t owe anyone an explanation.” You as a couple do you – take your time, you don’t have to label it (eg “we’re separated”), you don’t have to say anything at all. It’s your business and no one else’s. I don’t know why everyone thinks time apart whether physically or emotionally or whatever is such a terrible thing.
Again it’s nobody’s business but you and your partner’s
I miss those two greatly!!!!
Again the double standards for Michelle when she skips two occasions where she did not want to be near the orange monster. Meanwhile Melania took six months to move in the first time and doesn’t live there now but the media says nothing about this transactional marriage.
Yep. The bar is in hell for the Trumps, and the Obamas had — and still have — to be perfect, always.
And the reason we have Trump is because white America lost its damn mind over seeing that beautiful Black family in the White House.
It’s horrifying how far the pendulum swung as a reaction to a wonderful, very popular POC in the presidency. Biden stepped in and saved us with his privilege of being an elderly white man who “looks the part” of president. He knew the role he was playing and promised to bring in a qualified WOC as part of being the “white man” who saved America from itself. I wish I could shake his hand and tell him how grateful I am for what he did for this country.
But this country couldn’t elect a WOC. That was a bridge too far for even a lot of liberals. Let’s all repeat this: Kamala did not promote genocide in Gaza, and that’s just your excuse for not voting for a WOC.
Because OBVIOUSLY Melania doesn’t want to be around that balled up garbage bag she’s married to.
But folks expected Michelle to suck it up and make fake nice nice like they would have (because most people are chickenshits with zero spine and that’s why a malignant narcissist and cancerous boil like DJT is back in power rather than in prison spending his days filling his diapers, like he should be.).
I never believed those rumors. But it is still amazing to see it confirmed that their marriage is going strong! The Obamas are my couple-crush, love them both.
I think he is probably busy writing another book and she is doing her podcast. I am not getting the reasoning of people that couples have to be together all the time for clickbait or divorce if they do separate project for clickbait. Michelle does not want to be near political people when she does not have to be and that includes democrats.
They really are such an attractive couple and it sucks what the White House and the country are reduced to. I thought this was nothing more than a silly rumor but I guess enough people took it seriously enough that they felt the need to address it. I don’t understand why people feel the need to attack and delegitimize the marriages of prominent Black women. Are they supposed to be joined at the hip and she can’t do things for herself? It’s ridiculous and incredibly sexist.
Racists will swear up and down forever that WOC don’t deserve happy marriages—or to be married/loved at all. We’re projections of their sickness, not people. Never human.
I miss them so much!