Michelle Obama Sets the Record Straight on Those Divorce Rumors About Her and Barack Obama

Former First Lady Michelle Obama and her family were forever changed by her husband, Barack Obama's eight-year run at the White House. The couple's relationship was always under public scrutiny, as notable outlets often discussed them negatively, including publishing articles about Michelle's appearance and spending habits or her stance on addressing policies like her "Let's Move!" campaign and being vocal about America's history.

Although Barack hasn't been the nation's president since 2017, he and Michelle have remained in the spotlight. As a result, they've received rumors about their relationship, with many wondering if they were joining the ranks of many celebrity couples headed for splittsville.

After months of letting the divorce rumors circulate, Michelle finally broke her silence on where she and Barack's marriage lies. Here's the 4-1-1.

Michelle addressed the rumors that she and Barack were headed to divorce court on Sophia Bush's podcast, Work In Progress. During their conversation, she opened up about the chatter that their marriage was on the rocks and said it happened after she boldly decided not to attend two significant political events, including President Jimmy Carter's funeral and President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2025. Michelle said the rumors were a testament to how some people react when women decide to choose for themselves.

“The interesting thing is that, when I say ‘no,’ for the most part people are like, ‘I get it, and I’m OK,’ she explained to Sophia. "And that’s the thing that we as women struggle with — disappointing people. So much so that people, they couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself, that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing."

Michelle further denied the divorce rumors, stating that it was more unbelievable to spectators that she would simply be a "grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself," which her husband ultimately supported.

"But that’s what society does to us,” she declared. “We actually finally start going, ‘What am I doing? Who am I doing this for?’ And if it doesn’t fit into the sort of stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible."

Before she confirmed that she and Barack weren't divorcing, Michelle expressed her unwavering love for her husband in February 2025, one month after the divorce rumors began to fester. On Valentine's Day 2025, she shared a sweet message to him on Instagram that signaled neither of them was going anywhere.

"If there’s one person I can always count on, it’s you, @BarackObama," Michelle wrote under a photo of them. "You’re my rock. Always have been. Always will be. Happy Valentine’s Day, honey!"

Barack also shared his love for his wife in a post featuring the same photo of him and his wife. In his caption, he said he loved and admired having Michelle by his side for most of their adult lives.

"Thirty-two years together and you still take my breath away," Barack said. "Happy Valentine’s Day, @michelleobama!"

Welp, there you have it! Our forever POTUS and FLOTUS aren't parting ways, proving there's still some good news in the political world!