WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES — Michelle Obama has publicly addressed and refuted circulating rumors regarding the stability of her marriage to Barack Obama.
Speculation about a potential separation arose following the former First Lady’s absence from several prominent events, including Donald Trump’s inauguration and the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter.
In a recent appearance on the Work in Progress podcast, hosted by actress Sophia Bush, Mrs. Obama, without directly referencing these specific events, asserted her right to manage her own schedule as a “grown woman.”
She expressed frustration with the public’s inability to accept her independent decision-making, stating that they “had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing.”
Mrs. Obama also shared her feelings of guilt associated with scaling back certain public engagements. “That’s the thing that we as women, I think we struggle with like disappointing people,” she explained.
“I mean, so much so that this year people couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing. “This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right? But that’s what society does to us.”
Mrs. Obama further elaborated on her personal choices, stating, “I chose to do what was best for me. Not what I had to do. Not what I thought other people wanted me to do.”
While her absence from President Trump’s inauguration was widely interpreted as a departure from established tradition, she did deliver a significant address at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) during the past summer.
“Hope is making a comeback,” she declared to a large audience in Chicago at the DNC, urging them to support then-presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Despite prioritizing personal time, the former first lady emphasized her continued engagement in public life. “I still find time to give speeches, to be out there in the world, to work on projects. I still care about girls’ education,” she affirmed.
The Obamas celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary in October of the previous year.
Mrs. Obama has previously been candid about the challenges she faced in her marriage, particularly during Mr. Obama’s political career and tenure in the White House, as detailed in her best-selling memoir, Becoming. In the book, she described feelings of loneliness and exhaustion stemming from her husband’s political ambitions.
