Michelle Obama has addressed the swirling rumors about her relationship with former President Barack Obama, attributing the divorce chatter to her recent embrace of personal autonomy and decision-making.
Speaking on the “Work in Progress” podcast hosted by Sophia Bush, the 61-year-old former first lady responded to the speculation that intensified after she missed several significant public events earlier in the year — most notably, the inauguration of President Trump.
“The interesting thing is that, when I say ‘no,’ for the most part people are like, ‘I get it, and I’m OK,’” she shared, explaining her decision to decline prominent invitations.
She went on to touch on a broader struggle many women face when setting boundaries and prioritizing themselves.
“And that’s the thing that we as women struggle with — disappointing people,” she said.
Michelle remarked that some couldn’t believe her choices were simply about personal boundaries — leading many to concoct stories about her marriage.
“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.”
She laughed off the rumors that she and Barack had split, calling out the disbelief that she could just be “a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself.”
“But that’s what society does to us,” she added. “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.”
The gossip gained momentum in January when Barack Obama attended major events — including Trump’s inauguration and former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral — alone.
As media speculation surged, reports clarified that Michelle had taken time off in Hawaii during the funeral and had chosen not to attend the inauguration to avoid putting on a forced front.
Michelle reflected on the shift in her life now that she’s no longer in the White House and her daughters, Malia and Sasha, are grown and independent.
“I get to look at my calendar, which I did this year. It was a real big example of me, myself, looking at something that I was supposed to do, you know, without naming names, and I chose to do what was best for me,” she said.
She spoke candidly about the internal tug-of-war that many women face when making self-focused choices.
“Not what I had to do, not what other people wanted me to do, and between you and me, that was an important test for me just as a woman, as an independent person. Because, like all women, I operate from guilt.”
Acknowledging a new chapter in her life, Michelle emphasized her desire to take full ownership of her decisions.
She explained that she’s in a season of self-discovery, where intentional choices shape her daily life.
“Now is the time for me to start asking myself these hard questions of, ‘Who do I truly want to be every day?’ And that changes,” Michelle said.
She’s exploring freedom in simple pleasures — from choosing lunch companions to spontaneous travel with friends.
“So, who do I want to have a lunch with? How long do I want to stay in a place? Do I want to travel? If a girlfriend calls and says, ‘Let’s go here,’ I can say ‘Yes!’ I can. And I’m trying to do that more and more.”
Michelle concluded by affirming that her evolving lifestyle still includes meaningful work and advocacy.
“So what does it look like? It looks like whatever I want it to look like. And I still find time to give speeches, to be out there in the world, to work on projects. I still care about girls’ education,” the ex-first lady added.
{Matzav.com}