Speculation about Michelle and Barack Obama’s marriage reached a fever pitch earlier this year when Michelle was noticeably absent from several high-profile events — including President Donald Trump’s second inauguration and the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. Fans and pundits alike began to wonder: What’s really going on behind the scenes?
Adding fuel to the fire, the 61-year-old author recently revealed she’s returned to therapy, openly discussing the emotional challenges of transitioning to life after the White House. Speaking to Jay Shetty on his On Purpose podcast, Michelle shared, “At this phase of my life, I’m in therapy right now because I’m transitioning. I’ve finished a really hard thing in my life with my family intact.”
She went on to reflect on becoming an empty nester and embracing a new chapter defined by complete personal freedom. “Every choice that I’m making is completely mine now. I don’t have the excuse of, ‘Well, my kids need this, or my husband needs that, or the country needs that.’ So, how do I think about this next phase?”
Just a week later, Michelle appeared on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, describing how life outside the White House feels like “room to breathe.” She talked about craving normalcy and enjoying simple pleasures like driving alone. “As first lady, the stakes were so high… In this podcast, I can be loose. I can stutter. I can misspeak sometimes, even though I’m sure that will make the news.”
And indeed, she did make headlines — this time for a surprisingly candid confession about her biggest “battle” with Barack. The couple, who met in 1988 while working at a Chicago law firm, have a nightly struggle that will sound all too familiar to many couples.
Michelle revealed with humor, “Sometimes I get in the bed and I’m freezing, and other times it’s like, ‘Oh my god, take my skin off.’” She explained to Poehler that the temperature wars are real. “[Barack] is always cold, and I’m like ‘do not touch.’ Sometimes I wake up hot and I’ll wake him up: ‘Did you touch the thermostat? You touched the thermostat, didn’t you?’”
It’s a playful peek behind the curtain of a marriage often seen through a polished public lens — reminding us that even the Obamas share those everyday moments of negotiation and compromise.
“And he’s like, ‘I didn’t, I swear to God,’” Michelle laughs, throwing her hands up in mock defense as she mimics Barack. “He knows better now — he’s actually afraid of the thermostat.”
She playfully insists to her husband, “I don’t care what you do, but do not touch anything in this room after I go to sleep.”
Addressing the swirling rumors head-on, Michelle put the speculation to rest during a May 1 episode of The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett. The Princeton and Harvard graduate was clear: she’s not splitting from Barack.
“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.”
So, what do you make of Michelle and Barack’s playful cold war? Share your thoughts and spread the story — let’s hear from everyone!
