Barack Obama Says He’s ‘Digging’ Himself Out of the Hole with Wife Michelle Amid Infidelity and Divorce Rumors

Barack Obama is on a mission to repair what eight years in the White House cost him at home. The former president now finds himself focused on a more personal campaign: rebuilding precious time with Michelle Obama, his wife of over three decades.

With characteristic charm and candor, Obama recently opened up about the marital “deficit” he’s been working to overcome since leaving office.

During a conversation with Hamilton College President Steven Tepper, Obama reflected on his priorities, which include leading the Obama Foundation, building the next generation of leaders, and completing his presidential memoirs, jokingly comparing them to “50 term papers.”

“I was in a deep deficit with my wife,” Obama quipped during the event. “So I have been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things.”

The former first couple, who married in 1992 after meeting at a Chicago law firm, have been the subject of persistent divorce rumors in recent months.

Speculation intensified after Barack attended former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and Donald Trump’s inauguration without Michelle by his side, fueling narratives about marital troubles.

Adding to the gossip mill were wild claims about an alleged affair between the former president and “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston, rumors she has firmly debunked.

The couple even attempted to silence the whispers by posting affectionate Valentine’s Day selfies accompanied by loving messages.

Michelle herself has been candid about challenging periods in their marriage.

During a 2022 Revolt TV interview, she revealed, “There were 10 years where I couldn’t stand my husband,” referring to the period when Barack’s political star was rising while she focused on raising their daughters, Sasha and Malia.

Behind the public scrutiny lies a deeper story of the unique burdens Michelle shouldered as the first African-American first lady. In a poignant 2015 commencement speech at Tuskegee University, she opened up about facing questions that weren’t typical for other candidates’ wives.

“As potentially the first African-American first lady, I was also the focus of another set of questions and speculations, conversations sometimes rooted in the fears and misperceptions of others,” she told graduates, CNN reports. “Was I too loud or too emasculating? Or was I too soft? Too much of a mom and not enough of a career woman?”

Michelle recounted being depicted on a magazine cover as a caricature with “a huge afro and a machine gun,” being referred to on Fox News as her “husband’s crony of color,” and having a fist bump with Barack described as a “terrorist fist jab.”

“Back in those days, I had a lot of sleepless nights,” she recalled, wondering if she was hurting her husband’s chances while fearing what their daughters might think.

Despite the challenges, Michelle has remained Barack’s steadfast supporter, even when their financial situations were unequal.

During a recent episode of her podcast, “IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson,” when asked if she would be attracted to someone who was not financially stable, she promptly raised her hand and responded, “I married one.”

She elaborated on finding a partner in Barack who supported her through career transitions. “I had somebody who was like, ‘I got your back. The risks you think you’re taking, they aren’t that crazy, and I’m here to help you,’” she said.

As for the persistent rumors, Michelle recently addressed how they handle “negative energy” during a live podcast taping in March.

“People always ask me and Barack, how did we stay hopeful in, not just the eight years that we were in the White House, but beyond? Because, let me tell you, there was a lot of negative energy flipping our way,” she said.

Her approach remains steadfast, “Don’t let that negative energy enter into your space. These are people who don’t know you. A lot of this stuff is made up, and it does not feed you.”

For his part, Barack has repeatedly expressed appreciation for his relationship with Michelle in the post-presidency years.

“Let me just say this: It sure helps to be out of the White House and to have a little more time with her,” he shared in a 2023 CBS Mornings interview, suggesting that leaving the executive mansion in 2017 strengthened their bond.

.@GayleKing sits down with fmr. first lady @MichelleObama to discuss her new podcast and Netflix special – and the importance of being vulnerable in all her ventures:

“It’s the only way I know how to be me.” pic.twitter.com/hcVKP082Jf

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) April 20, 2023

As they continue their life together in their Washington, D.C., home while their $18 million Hawaiian mansion nears completion, the Obamas demonstrate that even relationships tested by the extraordinary pressures of the presidency can find new rhythms and joy.

Perhaps Barack’s most important post-presidential project isn’t his foundation or memoirs but the ongoing work of honoring the woman who stood strong beside him through it all—sometimes when she could barely stand him.