In a recent podcast episode, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama playfully addressed the persistent rumors surrounding their marriage, firmly shutting down speculation about a divorce. The couple appeared together on the latest episode of IMO, a podcast hosted by Michelle and her brother Craig Robinson.
Opening the show with a warm and light-hearted exchange, Michelle, 61, introduced her husband as “my man,” prompting Barack, 63, to jokingly add, “She took me back! It was touch and go for a while!” Robinson added to the levity by commenting, “It’s good to have both of you in the same room,” to which Michelle responded with a humorous jab at the gossip: “I know, because when we aren’t, folks think we’re divorced.”
The speculation surrounding the Obamas’ relationship gained traction after Michelle was notably absent from a series of public events attended by Barack, including President Donald Trump’s second inauguration and the state funeral of President Jimmy Carter in January. Her absence led many to question the state of their marriage, especially in online discussions.
Recalling a moment that highlighted the reach of the rumors, Robinson told a story of a woman who approached him at an airport and asked, “What did he do?” — referring to Barack. Laughing, Barack said, “These are the kinds of things that I just miss. 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 took the opportunity to affirm her dedication to their relationship. “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,” she said. She has previously discussed their experience with couples therapy on her podcast.
While her absence from public appearances broke with past traditions observed by former first ladies, Michelle explained her reasoning on previous podcast appearances. Speaking on the Work in Progress podcast in April, she shared, “I get to look at my calendar … and I choose to do what was best for me, not what I had to do.”
Later, on IMO, she added that her early-year decisions “were met with such ridicule and criticism,” and said some people assumed “my marriage was falling apart.” The Obamas, who met as lawyers in Chicago, married in 1992. They share two daughters, Malia and Sasha.