For months, rumors have circulated that Barack and Michelle Obama might be heading for a split, as Barack, 63, has attended events like Donald Trump‘s inauguration and Jimmy Carter‘s funeral without his wife.
Michelle, 61, who has been married to Barack since 1992, shared her initial reaction was “no way” when she found out he was running for president. She revealed this in the first episode of her podcast IMO with her brother, Craig Robinson, which launched on Wednesday.
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Michelle Obama Reflects On The ‘Unusual’ Challenges Of Being ‘Married To The President’ In New Podcast Amid Barack Obama Divorce Speculation
Referring to her brother Craig, 62, Michelle said, “I couldn’t have gotten through eight years in the White House without my big brother.” She continued, “Being married to the president of the United States [is a] thing that none of us kind of banked on. We knew Barack was smart and ambitious, but, you know.”
Michelle then said that Craig (who is the executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches) “talked me into supporting his run.” The mom of two (who shares daughters Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23, with Barack) continued, “And he [Barack] was smart enough to know that he needed to come to you and sell you on the idea. Because I was definitely like, no, no way.”
The Becoming author also expressed her irritation with Barack's habitual lateness when they began dating at the law firm Sidley Austin in Chicago. "Barack had to adjust to what ‘on time’ was," she said.
"You know, I’ve got this husband who, when it’s time to leave, he’s getting up and going to the bathroom. And I was like, dude, like three o’clock departure means you’ve done all that. It’s like, don’t start looking for your glasses, you know, at the three o’clock departure," she noted before confessing, "he’s improved over 30 years of marriage."
In the show IMO, Michelle will interview various A-lister guests, including Seth Rogen and Keke Palmer, while she and her brother Craig share personal advice. Some guests, like Tyler Perry, also featured on her earlier project, The Michelle Obama Podcast.
This comes after months of rumors about Barack and Michelle's marriage, including baseless claims that he was seeing Jennifer Aniston. In January, Barack was seen dining alone at a DC restaurant, where he received enthusiastic applause.
Michelle's notable absences at both former President Carter's funeral and President Trump's inauguration, which Barack attended, added to the speculation.
Last month, the Obamas posted a loving Valentine's Day selfie on X (formerly Twitter), with Michelle calling Barack "my rock" in another post. However, just last week, Barack was seen at a Los Angeles Clippers game without Michelle, fueling more rumors about their relationship.
