Barack Obama previously revealed that his presidential duties had left an impact on his marriage with Michelle Obama. Now, the former President has further explained what he meant when he first spoke about it. During the London leg of his European speaking tour, Obama stated that he has been “digging himself out of a hole” in his marriage with Michelle for years. It has been eight years since he left the White House, and he has finally found himself on “level ground” with Michelle.
In London, Barack Obama confessed that ever since his Presidential term finished, he has been spending a lot of time away from politics, mostly focusing on improving his marriage. He described the whole process as “challenging.” However, on the bright side, things have finally changed for the couple.
During an interview with David Olusoga on Wednesday, the former Democratic President admitted, “I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself (in) with Michelle… Now I’m at about level ground.” His comments come mere months after some shocking divorce rumors. In a turn of events, Obama was linked to Jennifer Aniston, which made headlines earlier this year. Apart from the absurd affair rumors, critics claimed that Michelle and Barack’s marriage was falling apart, with speculation about a potential high-profile divorce.
However, the pair has since proved the rumormongers wrong by openly expressing their enduring love for each other. That said, both parties in this marriage often grappled with challenges, mostly due to Barack’s demanding political career. However, despite the many obstacles, they held onto each other. During an episode of the IMO podcast, which Michelle hosted with her brother, Craig Robinson, the former FLOTUS declared, “There hasn’t been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting my man.”
“We’ve had some really hard times and we’ve had a lot of fun times, a lot of adventures, and I have become a better person because of the man I’m married to,“ Michelle said, shutting down the divorce rumors. Barack also appeared on the podcast, and Robinson noted, “It’s nice to have you both in the same room.”
Michelle Obama jokingly responded, “I know, because when we aren’t, folks think we’re divorced,” taking a jab at the critics.
Previously, as well, the former First Lady reflected on the realities of her marriage to Barack. In 2023, during an interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings, she admitted, “Marriage is hard. We’ve been married for 30 years. If I fell out with him for 10 and we had a great 20 years, I’d take those odds anytime.”
The high-profile pair has been married since 1992 and has shared two daughters, Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24. Just last weekend, the Obamas were photographed having a family outing in Portofino, Italy, on director Steven Spielberg’s superyacht.
