Former President Barack and first lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday addressed for the first time together the divorce rumors circulating on social media about their decades-long marriage.
The couple laughed off the rumors in a joint interview with Craig Robinson, Michelle Obama’s older brother.
“Wait, you guys like each other?” Robinson joked on his podcast IMO, prompting his sister to reply, “That’s from the rumor mill. It’s my husband, y’all.”
Barack Obama continued the joke.
“She took me back,” he said. “It was touch and go for a while.”
Questions arose about their marital status earlier this year when the former president attended several January events, including President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, by himself.
Michelle Obama later denied the rumors, saying she decided to forgo attending certain events as a free woman no longer in public office.
“It’s so nice to have you both in the same room together,” Robinson said, to which his sister responded, “I know, because when we aren’t, folks think we’re divorced.”
Barack Obama said he has not been following the rumors and that whenever someone brings up their marriage in conversation, he asks, “What are you talking about?”
“There hasn’t been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting on my man, and we’ve had some really hard times,” Michelle Obama said in a serious tone. “But we have had a lot of fun times, a lot of adventures, and I have become a better person because of the man I’m married to.”
“Okay, don’t make me cry now,” Barack Obama responded. “Don’t let me start tearing up now.”
MICHELLE OBAMA DEBUNKS DIVORCE RUMORS OVER LACK OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS: ‘WE’RE 60!’
Barack Obama was initially rumored to be having an affair with Jennifer Aniston in tabloid stories, despite no such evidence of their romantic involvement. The actress denied the allegations.
Barack and Michelle Obama got married in Chicago in 1992. They have two daughters together.