When Michelle Obama did not show up to Donald Trump’s inauguration — because she had no interest in upholding norms in a political environment where norms have already been shattered — a few people here and there speculated that Barack and Michlle Obama were on the outs. A few outlets — notably Page Six — ran with that, and for the last six months, Page Six seems to run a story once a week that begins, “Amid rumors of their divorce.” Never mind that the rumors have largely been sustained by Page Six. A sampling:
But no. Barack and Michelle Obama are not getting a divorce. The rumors were unfounded from the beginning, though that did not stop the couple from joking about those rumors on Michelle Obama’s podcast yesterday (where Barack appeared as a guest).
“She took me back!” Barack Obama joked on the podcast. “It was touch and go for a while.”
Michelle’s brother, Craig Robinson (no relation to the actor), who co-hosts the episode, added, “It’s so nice to have the two of you in the same room together,” to which Michelle added. “I know, because when we aren’t folks think we’re divorced.”
Robinson also said on the podcast that he’d been approached by a woman in an airport who asked about Barack, “What did he do?”
“These are the kinds of things that I just miss,” Barack said, oblivious to the rumors. “So I don’t even know this stuff’s going on and then somebody will mention it to me and I’m like what are you talking about?”
So, no. Barack and Michelle Obama, who have been married for 32 years, are not getting a divorce. It’s never even crossed Michelle Obama’s mind. “There hasn’t been one moment in our marriage where I’ve thought about quitting on my man. And 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.”
You can see the exchange all in the first five minutes here.
