'If I’m a single girl…': Michelle Obama sparks divorce speculation after podcast banter with Airbnb CEO

The rumours come just weeks after Michelle Obama directly addressed ongoing speculation about her relationship with Barack Obama.

Michelle Obama reignited speculation over the state of her marriage to former US President Barack Obama following a candid and light-hearted exchange with Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky on the latest episode of her podcast Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast. The former First Lady, 61, made flirtatious remarks that prompted social media users to question whether she was subtly hinting at a potential separation from her husband.

Chesky, 43, appeared as a guest on the podcast and shared an anecdote about an Airbnb user who obsessively refreshed the site thousands of times in a bid to secure a booking at his own home. In 2022, Chesky announced that his personal residence would be listed on the platform, stating: “Starting today, my home is now on Airbnb (yes, this is my actual home and I’ll be there when guests are here).” He also highlighted several inviting features, including freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, freshly brewed coffee, and the presence of a golden retriever.

Reacting to the story, Michelle Obama responded in a tone that raised eyebrows online. “I have to say, Brian, if I'm a single girl out there, and I find out that Brian Chesky is single, and I can, like, stay in his house, have you ever—” she began, trailing off playfully.

Chesky, who has been previously linked to high-profile individuals and is considered one of Silicon Valley’s most eligible bachelors, interjected and noted that the Obamas had already made efforts to play matchmaker on his behalf. “You and Barack have tried to set me up many times,” he said.

Michelle then admitted, “I’m very invested in Brian’s love life.” She added, “I usually don't get to talk to you in an interview format, so let's pretend like it's just us at dinner somewhere with me, poking you and prodding you on how life is.”

The remarks led to swift reactions online, with users speculating about her intentions and the current state of her marriage. “I think she is at one step to be single, what is going on with her?” one user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Another remarked, “She’s dropping divorce hints like breadcrumbs.”

The rumours come just weeks after Michelle Obama directly addressed ongoing speculation about her relationship with Barack Obama during an appearance on The Diary of a CEO podcast with host Steven Bartlett, aired on May 1. At the time, she dismissed the chatter and insisted that she would never conceal marital issues from the public.

“If I were having problems with my husband, everybody would know about it,” she said. “I would be problem solving in public. I'm not a martyr.”