Michelle Obama breaks silence on divorce rumors, shares how life changed after White House

The couple, who met in the late 1980s while working at a law firm in Chicago, married in 1992 and have two daughters - Sasha and Malia.

Former first lady of US Michelle Obama has dismissed the rumors of divorce to former US President Barack Obama in a podcast with actress Sophia Bush.

Michelle opened up about reclaiming her independence and shutting down divorce rumors with Barack Obama. Reflecting on life after the White House, she spoke about the importance of finally prioritizing herself—something she couldn’t fully do while raising her now-adult daughters.

In doing so, she also challenged common societal expectations placed on women and their personal freedom.

“I could have made a lot of these decisions years ago, but I didn’t give myself that freedom. Maybe even as much as I let my kids live their own lives, I use their lives as an excuse for why I couldn’t do something," she said during the podcast.

“And now that’s gone. And so now I have to look at my — I get to look at my calendar, which I did this year, was a real big example of me, myself looking at something that I was supposed to do — you know, without naming names — and I chose to do what was best for me, not what I had to do, not what I thought other people wanted me to do," she further added.

 Inside the Obamas' marriage buzz

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have been married for 32 years now, they both have two daughters named - Sasha and Malia.

Together, they’ve long been seen as the epitome of a power couple, inspiring many with their partnership over the years. However, it took a 180-degree turn last year, and the Obamas were hit with a widespread rumor of a potential divorce.

Last year, speculation swirled after Barack Obama was rumored to be linked to actress Jennifer Aniston, sparking talk of tension between him and Michelle. Adding to the buzz, the former First Lady noticeably missed both Donald Trump’s second inauguration and the state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter earlier this year.

A few days ago, the former President said, while having a conversation with Hamilton College President Steven Tepper, that he was “in a deep deficit with my wife” after his two terms in the Oval Office ended. However, the former President acknowledged, “I have been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things.”