Jennifer Aniston has publicly dismissed rumors of an affair with former President Barack Obama, calling the speculation "absolutely untrue" during an October appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The Friends star's rare decision to address the gossip came as speculation about the Obamas' marriage gained traction following Michelle Obama's absence from two major political events in January.
The rumors, which first surfaced online last summer, reignited in recent weeks after Michelle skipped both former President Jimmy Carter's funeral and President Donald Trump's inauguration. "There have been rumblings for months of trouble in their marriage," a source told Star Magazine. "There's little doubt they've been living separate lives."
Aniston, 55, was reportedly taken aback by the claims and felt compelled to shut them down directly. "She barely knows Obama, let alone is dating him," an insider told RadarOnline. "She told friends that after all these years of being in the spotlight, this has to be the most bizarre piece of gossip she has ever heard about herself."
Rumors first gained momentum when a July tabloid cover teased "The Truth About Jen and Barack," leading to online speculation that the former president was involved with Aniston. A Reddit thread asked, "Anyone else hear that Obama and Jennifer Aniston are fin?" while a popular podcaster claimed, "Michelle and Barack are living separate lives, and Barack is fing Jennifer Aniston."
Despite her public denial, the story continued to gain traction as social media influencers and even journalists weighed in. Meghan McCain stated on her Citizen McCain podcast, "Very serious journalists are telling me they're hearing that the Obama divorce rumors are true." Tara Palmeri, a senior political correspondent for Puck, added, "I've certainly heard it for a while, even before Michelle said she wasn't coming to the inauguration."
Adding to the speculation, an Instagram personality named Jessica Reed Kraus claimed she received a direct message alleging that Obama and Aniston were involved. The anonymous sender wrote, "Barack is with Jennifer Aniston. My old manager, now a friend, is connected to her inner circle. At a gathering with Jennifer's friends, the affair came up casually. Jennifer herself admitted it."
The former president has not publicly addressed the rumors, but his social media interactions with Michelle have continued as usual. On January 17, he posted a birthday message to his wife, saying, "You fill every room with warmth, wisdom, humor, and grace - and you look good doing it. I'm so lucky to be able to take on life's adventures with you. Love you!" Michelle responded with heart and kiss emojis.
Aniston, who has historically kept her personal life private, has been particularly sensitive to rumors involving infidelity. The actress was famously at the center of one of Hollywood's biggest love triangles when her ex-husband, Brad Pitt, left her for Angelina Jolie after meeting on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2005. Years later, when Aniston married Justin Theroux in 2015, she faced allegations that their relationship began while he was still involved with his longtime girlfriend, Heidi Bivens.
A source close to Aniston said she felt compelled to speak out about the Obama rumor, fearing that silence would only fuel speculation. "Jen was going to have her people either not respond or give a 'no comment,' but she thought that would add fuel to the fire," the source told RadarOnline. "She decided to shut it down before it could get even more out of hand."
Michelle Obama, for her part, has not addressed the rumors, but she has been open about the challenges in her marriage. "I don't want people looking at me and Barack like, 'hashtag couple goals,'" she said in 2024. "There are some broken things that happen even in the best of marriages." She added, "It's the choice to figure it out, not to quit when it gets hard."
Meanwhile, Aniston is focusing on her work. She wrapped filming on season four of The Morning Show in December and is producing a new adaptation of the 1980 classic 9 to 5. Reports indicate she is courting Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, and Ariana Grande for lead roles in the updated version of the workplace comedy.
