Michelle Obama publicly signaled stability in her marriage to former President Barack Obama this week, appearing in Los Angeles with her wedding ring prominently displayed, just days after renewed speculation about the couple's relationship was fueled by comments from broadcaster Megyn Kelly.
Kelly, 54, criticized the Obamas' marriage during a recent episode of "The Megyn Kelly Show," responding to remarks Michelle made about long-term relationships on her podcast, "IMO." "I've been married for 17 and a half years, and not one was bad," Kelly said. "I think she and he married the wrong people."
Michelle Obama, 61, has used her podcast and public appearances to reflect on the complexities of marriage. "I tell people - and folks think this is harsh - it's, like, 'You're gonna have a bad decade,'" she said in a recent episode. "I mean, I've been married to my husband for 30-plus years... If the odds were you're going to be married to your partner for 50 years, and 10 of those years could be bad, you'd sign up for it."
Those comments sparked pushback from Kelly and her guest, Daily Mail columnist Maureen Callahan, who questioned Michelle's credibility on relationship advice. "She loves to tell us she hated Barack for a good decade," Callahan said, referring to past remarks Michelle made about marriage struggles.
Barack Obama, 63, has also addressed the challenges in their relationship. Speaking to Hamilton College's Steve Tepper earlier this month, the former president admitted, he was in a "deep deficit" with wife during his presidency and said he has been "trying to dig myself out of that hole by occasionally doing fun things."
The Obamas, married since 1992, have been the subject of intensified speculation following Michelle's absence from recent high-profile political events, including President Trump's inauguration and former President Jimmy Carter's funeral. That absence, combined with Michelle's candid discussions about the strains of traditional marriage and parenting, has led some commentators to suggest deeper issues in the relationship.
Michelle rejected such assumptions during a March appearance on actress Sophia Bush's podcast "Work in Progress," saying, "That's the thing that we as women struggle with - disappointing people. So much so, that people - they couldn't even fathom that I was making a choice for myself - that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing."
Last Thursday, Michelle was seen visiting The Academy headquarters in Los Angeles with her brother and podcast co-host, Craig Robinson. The former first lady wore her diamond wedding band and appeared in good spirits. Her outfit - which included an olive green ensemble, brown kitten heels, and a $3,700 Bottega Veneta tote - drew attention as a subtle but deliberate response to ongoing speculation.
Public scrutiny of the Obamas' personal life has intensified as Michelle continues to share introspective commentary about partnership and self-discovery. "Now is the time for me to start asking myself these hard questions of, 'Who do I truly want to be every day?'" she said on a recent episode.
The former first lady added, "If it doesn't fit into the sort of stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible."
