EXCLUSIVE: Why Those Obama Divorce Rumors Are Not Going Away — Despite Barack and Michelle’s Podcast Love-In
July 23 2025, Published 11:30 a.m. ET
Barack Obama has made a rare public appearance on his wife Michelle’s podcast to confront the persistent rumors swirling around their marriage.
But RadarOnline.com can reveal it will do barely anything to remove speculation the couple are headed for a blockbuster divorce.
The Bombshell Podcast
The Obamas have been married since October 1992 and have two daughters.
The Obamas, married since October 1992, with daughters Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24, have long been held up as a model power couple.
Yet over recent months — and as RadarOnline.com was first to report — speculation about a potential split has fiercely intensified, fueled by their growing absence from public events together and perceived distance on social media.
The couple’s podcast reunion — hosted by Michelle, 61, alongside her brother Craig Robinson — seemed intended to quash such rumors. But insiders say the fissures run deeper than fans are being told.
One said: “Everyone around the Obamas is saying the show was just a very well-orchestrated, and even almost scripted, denial of the truth — they are done!”
The podcast episode — framed as a special event — featured Robinson teasing: “This is the episode that everyone’s been waiting for,” as Barack joined the conversation.
They exchanged light-hearted banter, with Robinson joking: “Wait, you guys like each other?” and Michelle dryly replying: “That’s the rumor mill.”
Barack and Michelle met in 1989 and seem to have weathered the unique pressures of public life.
Barack quipped: “She took me back. It was touch and go for a while.”
Despite the warmth, the undercurrent of strained intimacy was clear, and it has left many questioning why the split rumors persist.
Barack and Michelle met in 1989 and seem to have weathered the unique pressures of public life through two presidential terms.
However, their public appearances together have become increasingly rare, and when Michelle skipped the January funeral for former president Jimmy Carter — an event attended by other presidential spouses — speculation grew about the status of the Obamas’ marriage.
A source said: “Michelle choosing to reduce their public appearances together isn’t a sign of trouble in the marriage, but rather about her establishing personal boundaries.”
Rumors have been swirling since early 2025.
This boundary-setting continued with Michelle’s absence from former president Donald Trump’s second inauguration, where Barack appeared alone.
The source added: “Michelle is intentionally carving out her own space and identity beyond her role as former first lady. This change can feel uncomfortable for those who expect a conventional picture of marriage.”
While Michelle has openly acknowledged difficult periods in their marriage — including admitting in 2022 “there were 10 years where I couldn’t stand my husband” — she remains fiercely loyal to him.
On the podcast, she said firmly: “There hasn’t been one moment in our marriage when I thought about quitting my man.”
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Michelle’s flourishing post-White House career partly helps explain her growing independence.
Michelle’s flourishing post-White House career partly helps explain her growing independence.
The former First Lady has authored multiple bestsellers, produced Netflix documentaries, and launched several podcasts, including the one where she and Barack recently reunited.
Along with her ever-growing independence, her scarcity of intimate moments with Barack shared on their social media feeds has also sparked speculation about the state of their relationship.
However, Michelle dismissed the idea that constant online sharing is necessary to prove a happy marriage, recently saying: “We don’t Instagram every minute of our lives. We are 60. You just aren’t going to know what we’re doing every minute of the day.”
