Former First Lady Michelle Obama is confronting persistent rumors surrounding her marriage to former President Barack Obama, candidly discussing the personal strain their high-profile relationship has faced amid public speculation of divorce.
On a recent episode of her podcast IMO With Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, Mrs. Obama explained why she chose not to attend former President Donald Trump's second inauguration, a decision that sparked significant gossip about her marriage.
"My decision to skip the inauguration, what people don't realize, or my decision to make choices at the beginning of this year that suited me were met with such ridicule and criticism," Michelle Obama said, adding that people "had to assume that my marriage was falling apart."
Rather than marital discord, she emphasized the move was about reclaiming personal autonomy. "I'm at this stage in life where I have to define my life on my terms for the first time," she said. "It took everything in my power to not do the thing that was right or that was perceived as right but do the thing that was right for me."
Michelle also described the pressure to attend high-profile events as intense, explaining it was "so easy to just say, 'Let me do the right thing.'" She even avoided preparing attire to ensure she wouldn't change her mind, saying, "If I'm not going to do this thing, I got to tell my team I don't even want to have a dress ready."
Actress Taraji P. Henson, appearing on the podcast, empathized with the former first lady's position, calling women "shock absorbers," often bearing the emotional burdens for their families. "You have had to be shock absorbers for your husband, for your children...because of where you were sitting in the public eye," Henson said, adding, "that's exhausting, and it's not healthy."
Barack Obama himself has acknowledged past strains, notably writing in his 2020 memoir, A Promised Land, about Michelle's frustrations during their White House years. "Despite Michelle's success and popularity, I continued to sense an undercurrent of tension in her," he wrote, attributing it partly to his constant work and their exposure to public scrutiny.
"Lying next to Michelle in the dark, I'd think about those days when everything between us felt lighter," Barack added. "My heart would suddenly tighten at the thought that those days might not return."
Michelle has been equally candid about marriage difficulties. Speaking at a Revolt TV panel in 2022, she confessed bluntly, "There were 10 years where I couldn't stand my husband," attributing the period of strain primarily to the demands of raising young children and balancing careers.
"Marriage isn't 50/50-ever. There's sometimes I'm 70, he's 30," Michelle said. Yet she insisted the struggles were manageable compared to their longevity together, remarking, "I would take 10 bad years over 30."
Addressing rumors directly, sources close to the couple have maintained the marriage remains intact despite challenges. Michelle underscored in a 2022 Instagram post, "I've lived in a number of places, but...I've only ever had one real home. My home is Barack."
While Barack once expressed pride publicly-"If you were going to list the 100 most popular things that I have done as president, being married to Michelle Obama is number one"-Michelle has stressed practicality, advising young couples that marriage is difficult. "You have to prepare yourself for long stretches of discord and discomfort," she wrote, cautioning against idealizing relationships.
In recent years, therapy has become central to Michelle's approach to managing her personal wellbeing. "Going through therapy is getting me to look at the fact that maybe finally I'm good enough," she revealed on her podcast, signaling a shift toward personal empowerment beyond her public role.
Public response to Michelle Obama's openness has been overwhelmingly supportive. Journalist Katie Couric commented on Instagram, "Michelle. You do you. That's why we love you. Ignore the haters and the naysayers." Actress Julia Roberts simply responded with a "100" emoji, underscoring broad public backing amid intense scrutiny.
