Michelle Obama revealed candid insights into her marriage with former President Barack Obama during a recent appearance on the Good Hang podcast with Amy Poehler, discussing everyday challenges and personal transitions that have fueled renewed public speculation about the state of their relationship.
In a lighthearted exchange, the former First Lady, 61, detailed what she described as ongoing "bedtime battles" with her husband, particularly regarding the thermostat. "Sometimes I get in the bed, and I'm freezing. Other times, it's like, 'Oh my God, take my skin off,'" she said. "It's a battle with a partner because he's always cold and I'm like, 'Do not touch [the thermostat].'"
Michelle said she occasionally wakes up in the middle of the night suspecting Barack adjusted the room temperature. "'Did you touch the thermostat? You touched it, didn't you?'" she recounted asking, adding, He's "scared of the thermostat" and typically denies any tampering, responding, "I didn't, I swear."
The former First Lady prefers to sleep in a room kept at around 68 degrees and jokingly recommended socks for her husband if he feels too cold. "My head hits the pillow, and I'm out," she said of her nightly routine, which typically starts with a 6:30 p.m. dinner and winding down by 8 p.m.
Beyond the marital anecdotes, Michelle also reflected on post-White House life and her desire for solitude and normalcy. "I want to try to do normal things... I want to feel like I'm by myself," she told Poehler. "I just feel like there's room to breathe. And maybe some of that is my age. Now that I'm in my 60s, what more do I have to prove?"
In a separate appearance on the On Purpose podcast with Jay Shetty, Michelle disclosed she had returned to therapy. "At this phase of my life, I'm in therapy right now because I'm transitioning," she said. "I'm 60 years old, I finished a really hard thing in life with my family intact."
The timing of her remarks has fueled ongoing rumors about possible marital strain, especially as she continues to speak publicly without Barack and skipped both President Trump's second inauguration and former President Jimmy Carter's funeral earlier this year. When asked about the gossip, Michelle responded, "Everybody would know if we were having issues," adding, "I'm not a martyr."
She also revealed a dynamic between the couple where teasing is part of their household culture. "I can tease [Barack], but [he] cannot tease me," she said, noting that their daughters, Malia and Sasha, also often join in the ribbing. "Teasing is our love language."
Barack, 63, has publicly praised his wife in recent months. On Valentine's Day, he wrote, "Thirty-two years together and you still take my breath away." The couple married in 1992 and have frequently portrayed a united front despite outside speculation about the state of their relationship.
