Obama Family Secrets Exposed: Michelle Shades Husband Barack's Parenting Techniques For Raising Two Daughters and Claims He Called One 'Difficult'
Michelle Obama revealed her husband finds one daughter's temperment 'difficult.'
Aug. 20 2025, Published 7:40 p.m. ET
Michelle Obama threw savage shade at husband Barack Obama's parenting game by spilling how one of their daughters had him completely duped by slyly manipulating the former president to get whatever she wants, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
At the same time, their other daughter was more like a "cat" and not at all a people pleaser, which caused Barack to label his child "difficult" as she didn't play up to his ego, Michelle, 61, shared on the Wednesday, August 20, episode of her IMO podcast.
Malia the 'Pleaser'
Harvard graduate Malia is now a Los Angeles-based filmmaker.
The former first lady opened up about how different her daughters' temperaments are when it came to dealing with their dad during a discussion with guests Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union.
Michelle revealed that their eldest daughter, Malia, perfected how to get what she wanted out of her dad when he was president by involving the statesman in long chats about world affairs before slyly telling him about her plans, rather than asking for permission.
"I'd say this to Barack when it comes to [our] oldest Malia, she is going to figure out who you are and what you like," and would then ask for a conversation. "She's always been that way," Michelle said of her daughter, calling the trait "unusual."
"When Malia was a teenager, it wasn't that she was going out any less or doing anything differently. She would tell me 'I'm going out this weekend, but I'm going to go in and give dad like 15 minutes,'" about how the teen would work her magic.
Feeding Her Dad's Ego
Malia would engage her dad in serious conversation before telling him about her plans rather than seek approval.
Michelle said Malia would then head into the White House's treaty room and ask her dad, "Tell me about Syria."
The Chicago native did a perfect impression of her husband being snowed by Malia's request, lowering her voice and saying, "Oh, wow, really!" as he was thrilled to have such serious chats with their then-teenager.
"And then she'd be like, 'OK, well, I'm gone.' Barack would come out of the treaty room going, 'I just had an amazing conversation with Malia,' and I'm like, Oh, yeah," Michelle added with a laugh about how gullible her husband was at letting Malia stoke his ego to get her way.
The 'Difficult' Daughter
Barack misinterpreted daughter Sasha's strong-willed ways for being 'difficult.'
"Sasha is like a cat. She's like, 'Don't touch me, don't pet me. I'm not pleasing you. You come to me, you know,'" Michelle spilled as she described her headstrong 24-year-old daughter.
The former University of Southern California student's unapologetic and strong-willed ways got her a tough label from her dad.
"Barack's like, 'Well, she's difficult.' I was like, no. The first one was a pleaser, right?" Michelle said about the difference between their daughters. "It was just temperamentally, they're still like that."
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Malia and Sasha were still little girls when their dad was sworn in as president in 2008.
Michelle previously revealed that she was miserable in her marriage to Barack when their children were younger.
"People think I'm being catty for saying this: it's like, there were 10 years where I couldn't stand my husband," the former FLOTUS shared in 2022. "And guess when it happened? When those kids were little."
"Marriage isn't 50/50, ever. Ever," Michelle continued. "There are times I'm 70, he's 30. There are times he's 60, 40."
While shooting down divorce speculation during the August 7 episode of her podcast, the Becoming author elaborated, "We've been married for 30 years, and we will be married forever. So, let's say we live long. It will be 50-plus years. And if 10 of those years were bad, you know, anybody would take those odds."
