After years of the media romanticizing Barack Obama’s life story and gushing over his supposedly fairytale romance with Michelle, speculation is swirling that their seemingly perfect marriage might not be as idyllic as it seems. Over the past few weeks, rumors about Barack and Michelle potentially heading for divorce have gone from social media speculation to full-fledged rumors.
The chatter started when Michelle Obama was conspicuously absent from former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral. As PJ Media reported, her team offered no detailed explanation, citing only a "scheduling conflict," though, according to CNN, she was in Hawaii on an "extended vacation." I know Michelle loves her vacations almost as much as Joe Biden does, but even she should have taken a break from being a lazy beach bum to pay respects to Carter.
Then there was her absence at Trump’s inauguration this week. This was less suspicious, and sources close to her suggest the move was a political statement. This was, of course, extremely believable, but coupled with her absence from Carter’s funeral, her choices have prompted deeper questions about the image she’s projecting.
Rumors of a romantic relationship between Barack Obama and actress Jennifer Aniston have stirred up controversy since last year.
“The couple have also had to contend with lingering rumours of Barack’s wandering eye. Last October, Friends star Jennifer Aniston publicly dismissed as ‘absolutely untrue’ claims by a US gossip magazine that she and Barack were in a relationship – making Michelle feel ‘betrayed,’” reports The Daily Mail. “The rumour was compounded by the hosts of a popular pop culture podcast – Who? Weekly – who claimed that the Obamas were ‘living separate lives’ while he and Aniston were having a full-blown affair. Aniston told a US TV chat show host: ‘I’ve met him once. I know Michelle more than him.’”
Contrary to the public perceptions of a fairy tale marriage, there have long been reports and claims that their marriage isn’t much better than the Clintons. Michelle revealed in a 2022 interview that she "couldn't stand" Barack for a decade during their early years as parents.
What a coincidence! I couldn’t stand him for eight years during his presidency and pretty much ever since. Speaking with Revolt TV, she explained that raising their daughters, Sasha and Malia, while Barack's political career soared created an imbalance in their relationship.
“There were 10 years where I couldn’t stand my husband,” she said, attributing the strain to the demanding years of building their careers and managing family responsibilities. She noted that marriage is rarely "50/50" and requires perseverance, saying, “I would take 10 bad years over 30. That’s just how you look at it.”
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In 2013, the National Enquirer alleged the Obamas’ marriage was strained after Michelle reportedly learned of infidelity that Secret Service agents covered up. Tensions were said to flare after Obama posed for a selfie with Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt at Nelson Mandela’s memorial, with Michelle visibly displeased nearby.
Rumors suggested that they would separate post-presidency, with Michelle staying in Washington and Obama moving to Hawaii. Despite the speculation, the couple remains together, though Michelle now spends much of her time in Hawaii. Barack Obama's 2017 biography by Pulitzer Prize-winner David Garrow revealed that he maintained an intimate relationship with ex-girlfriend Sheila Miyoshi Jager between 1991 and 1992 while already with Michelle. Jager admitted feeling guilty about it.
Barack responded to the speculation with a heartfelt Instagram post celebrating Michelle's birthday. In the post, he called her the "love of his life," which many interpreted as an attempt to silence the gossip and reaffirm their bond.
Yet even this gesture didn’t escape scrutiny. The photo he shared of Michelle drew attention for all the wrong reasons — many noted how unflattering it was and raised their eyebrows about his choice.
Why would Barack post this very unflattering photo of Michelle? https://t.co/JuJBo5w4Me
— Bill Mitchell (@mitchellvii) January 18, 2025
Yeah, it’s a scary photo. In fairness, there are a lot of unflattering photos of Michelle Obama out there, but how many has her husband shared?
In the end, I don't care, no matter what the truth is. But I also believe that the Obamas are well aware of the importance of their public image and are more likely to follow in the footsteps of the Clintons with a sham marriage than get divorced.
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