Michelle Obama Talks Owning Her Choices, Divorce Rumors, and Missing Events.
Michelle says she’s no longer using her daughters as an excuse. “For the first time, all my choices are for me.”
Amid divorce rumors, former First Lady Michelle Obama emphasized that she’s focusing on becoming the best version of herself and will continue making her own choices about how to spend her time.
In an April 8 episode of Sophia Bush’s “Work in Progress” podcast, Michelle Obama addressed rumors about her marriage to Barack Obama. Speculation about a divorce began after her absence at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Michelle clarified that it was simply “a grown woman making decisions for herself” and that women often struggle with disappointing others, leading people to assume she and her husband were divorcing.
The Obamas have been married for 32 years and raised two daughters, Sasha and Malia, now adults, giving Michelle more time for herself after her White House duties. When asked about her social life, she told Sophia, “It’s whatever I want. It’s about focusing on being the best version of myself.” These days, Michelle’s questions have shifted: “Who do I truly want to be every day? Who do I want to have lunch with? How long do I want to stay somewhere? Do I want to travel? If a friend calls to go somewhere, I can say yes,” she shared. “And I’m doing that more and more.”
Michelle says this is the first time in her life that all her choices are for herself. Since leaving the White House after eight years, the Obamas launched their production company, Higher Ground Productions, and Michelle has pursued her own projects, including her podcast, IMO, which she co-hosts with her older brother, Craig Robinson. She has also been busy as an author, with books like “Becoming” and “The Light We Carry.” While stepping away from some political duties, she remains dedicated to her public speaking and girls’ education initiatives.
Michelle and Barack have been seen as “couple goals” since rising to fame, but they’ve also been open about facing challenges. In Barack’s memoir, A Promised Land, he shared how he noticed a subtle but constant tension in Michelle, even during her successes. He reflected on the earlier days of their relationship when her smile was “more constant” and their love felt “less encumbered.” In 2024, Michelle spoke about how they navigate disagreements, saying, “It’s the choice to figure it out, not to quit when it gets hard,” during the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast.
