When Barack and Michelle Obama left the White House in January 2017, they decided to buy a place in Washington so that their daughters could finish high school with all of their friends. The Obamas bought a $8.1 million home in one of the ritzier DC neighborhoods and they gave their daughters that stability post-White House. Over the years, the Obamas have expanded their real estate holdings – they bought land in Hawaii and built a home there, and in 2019, they purchased an estate in Martha’s Vineyard. Once Malia and Sasha went to college, Barack and Michelle traveled more and spent more time outside of DC. I’m honestly not sure why they would even keep their DC home, since both of them reportedly prefer their other homes.
Anyway, the Obamas’ real estate and living situation has come up in recent days because of Michelle’s open refusal to attend the Trump inauguration. She made sure everyone knew about it and it unsurprisingly became a major story ahead of the inaugural. Michelle’s non-attendance also called attention to the constant rumors about the state of the Obama marriage, because Michelle also did not attend Jimmy Carter’s funeral. Sources close to Michelle insist that her refusal to attend these events is solely about her hatred for Donald Trump. And yet the “marriage trouble” rumors persist. Well, now Page Six says that there’s a lot of DC dinner chatter about the Obamas’ marriage too, especially because Michelle is never in DC anymore.
After weeks of speculation that the most famous marriage in politics was in trouble, Barack Obama posted a fawning tribute to the “love of his life,” Michelle Obama, in honor of her 61st birthday on Friday. “You fill every room with warmth, wisdom, humor, and grace — and you look good doing it. I’m so lucky to be able to take on life’s adventures with you. Love you!,” he wrote on Instagram, beneath a photo of the casually-dressed couple holding hands over dinner. “Love you, honey!” his wife quickly replied.
The former president, one of the most savvy political operators ever to take the Oval Office, posted the message amid rampant rumors that all was not well in his marriage. It began when former first lady Michelle failed to join her husband at Jimmy Carter’s funeral on January 9 — and heated up even more when it was announced she would not be attending Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
“You cannot tell Michelle what to do — no one can.” said a source who has worked with the Obamas, of her decision to skip the swearing-in.”That’s why she could not be persuaded to stump for Joe Biden during the last election.”
A high-society insider added that the topic “is getting a lot of DC peeps talking. The noise is getting louder. I’m told she was furious at seeing her husband yukking it up with Trump at the Carter funeral.”
But those who know the Obamas — who share two grown daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23 — say the couple have always made it clear their marriage is not a fairytale. “They don’t pretend that they have this Camelot relationship,” said the source who has worked with them. “They’re not trying to present that they’re this magical couple.”
Even so, Michelle has been “checked out” of DC life ever since the couple left the White House back in January 2017, according to a Beltway insider. That’s led to “certainly nonstop chatter that Michelle is fed up with the political circus, and pretending everything is OK with Barack all the time,” said the high-society insider. “What this will all lead to is to be revealed in time.”
While it’s been reported that the Obamas’ primary residence is in the Kalorama neighborhood of DC — where, in June 2017, they bought a home for $8.1 million — Michelle is said to spend a lot of time on Martha’s Vineyard, where they own a $11.75 million ocean-front compound. Another source confirmed that Michelle is “mostly Martha’s Vineyard, never in DC,” and multiple others said they had been on the island last summer without Barack and appeared “happy and content.”
I don’t know if Michelle has checked out of her marriage, but I guarantee that she’s checked out of DC and the world of politics completely. I would also believe that the Obama marriage is fine, but like a lot of empty-nesters, they’re enjoying their freedom now that their girls are grown, and maybe that freedom for Michelle is “not having to interact with the Trumps or any Republican.”
Honestly though, Michelle’s retweet and the photo Barry used? LMAO. They’re not beating the divorce allegations, but what’s even funnier is that they don’t seem to care enough to beat the allegations.
Love you, honey! ❤️😘 https://t.co/fiQaCYmQ02
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) January 17, 2025
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The photo that they used actually made me feel like they were trolling. Although I do agree that she doesn’t spend any time in DC because she’s over politics. This woman has said every which way but loose in interviews and two books that she is not interested in politics, did not set out to be a political wife, has no interest in ever running for office, and their takeaway is she isn’t spending time in DC hobnobbing with power players on the Hill, there must be something wrong with their marriage!!!
This is why when people pipe up with ‘Michelle should run for President!’’ I wonder if they’ve read anything she has said. She wants NO PART of politics-it took a lot out of her and her family. Clearly Barack wants/needs the proximity as former POTUS. Michelle is fine with that, but it won’t include her all the time. She is still trailblazing as to what the life of a former FLOTUS
looks like. As for DC chatter, they would rather make up ridiculous stories about their ‘heroes’ then face the oncoming shitshow.
Yet she is perfectly willing to make big convention speeches. I think Michelle, like a lot of people, like attention up to a point and then they don’t. I don’t think she has any desire to run for office, but I do think she likes to have her opinions heard. And honestly, if I had a home on Martha’s Vinyard and one in Hawaii, I would never be in DC. Ever.
“… if I had a home on Martha’s Vinyard and one in Hawaii, I would never be in DC. Ever.”
🤣 The non-political side of DC is nice—excellent food. But I don’t blame Michelle here at all. This all sounds like Murdoch wanting to start more mess with Dem. figures. And aren’t the Obamas usually in Chicago doing the library/charity work anyway?
@SarahLee so she’s like every other person? She made convention speeches in 2008 and 2012 when her husband was running for office. In 2016 when the man that spent a decade questioning her husband’s citizenship was running for office, and 2020 when we all knew what another Trump presidency would be like ( or so I thought). She started out her speech in 2024 talking about how she didn’t want to be there but pushed past her grief because of how important it was. So it’s not really a fair representation to act like she’s attention-seeking. Between 2016 and 2024 how much did you see her on the political circuit outside of the DNC? You don’t have to wonder if she’s not interested in politics she has said it EXPLICITLY numerous times for whatever reason though people just refuse to believe it. People have built up a fantasy of her coming and saving us from ourselves and her behaving to the contrary is annoying.
Their primary residence is Chicago… not Washington, where they are immersed in finishing his presidential library. I doubt BO spends much time in DC either. Similar to the Sussexes, the press hasn’t a clue because the Obama staff doesn’t leak. So they make this trash up instead.
So this! Anyone who’s shocked Michelle is “checked out” of politics has never paid attention to Michelle’s own words about her complete dislike of politics! She’s made it clear she only supported Barack out of their joint desire to do good in the world, and his desire to focus that energy in politics. She may not have even supported him there if he wasn’t clearly a once in a lifetime inspirational leader!
I’m sure the O’s will do just fine. For all we know, MO did not want to attend a funeral as it might be triggering following her mother’s death last year or spend time in DC where her Mom lived!
Let’s put our energy into positive people, stories and ideas. Today should not be about are they or aren’t they or giving space to anything spewing from the other side. Go high, everyone, go high!
Why do they refuse to give agency to a woman for her decisions? Why does Michelle’s refusal to sit and be fake at the Trump inauguration have to be about Barack and a faulty marriage and not about the fact that Michelle simply DOESN’T WANT TO ATTEND?
It pisses me off that a grown woman can’t simply make a choice of her own. She can’t simply be thinking, “Honey, I’m going to sit this one out. I’ll see you later.” Michelle simply refuses to spend her energy being phony for the sake of being polite. That has absolutely nothing to do with the state of her marriage. She’s a grown-assed woman who made a choice to preserve her peace and I applaud her for keeping it 100 percent real.
THIS!!!!
Agreed. And if she is spending time in one of their several houses without him, so what? That is the beauty of multiple residences, they can come and go as they please. There’s no rule saying they have to be in every place together, ffs.
That part!
100%
Preach, Angelica Schuyler!
This 100%. Even now everybody knows better than the woman what she wants. Or what she really means. Even if she explicitly expressed her option several time. Just listen!
well said, she’s a strong independent Woman and I applaud her decision to avoid politics and not pretend to be invested in Washington. It’s too bad, she would be a kick ass President.
Black women are expected to suck up and be honored to even be in the room and then when we just don’t care to kiss your ass, something must be wrong with us. White elites in DC are incredulous that a black women simply has no time for them and refuses to suck up to them in the same way her husband does. Therefore, the marriage must be broken.
Same thing happened to me when I used to work in HR (and I too am a black woman). I refused to suck up to the execs and therefore “something must be wrong with me,” or “I hate my job (in fairness, I did),” and it hindered my career. Cue shocked Pikachu face when I quit, went back to school, and pivoted careers rather than cave.
Brava, K8erade!
1) Agreed. 🙄 2) Nicely-played.
A couple weeks ago, no one knew if Melania Trump intended to come to the White House. Now Murdoch’s PageSix is questioning the Obama’s marriage? Hmmm…
This exactly
This is the year I reclaim my peace. I promise to limit my screen time on all platforms, choosing to read the news instead. I promise to focus on my health, loved ones, and financial wealth in the event I have to leave this country. I promise to declutter my home (see previous sentence). And, I promise to stay close to my Higher Power (see second sentence).
I think all we can deduce so far is that she’s checked out of DC. I can’t blame her for that.
I lived in D.C. for six years because of my husband’s job. It was the unhappiest six years of my life. I loathed living there. It made me feel deeply depressed, lonely, and anxious and I developed panic attacks. When he goes back for work (we moved because he can work remotely now), I have zero desire to go there with him so I don’t. Why would I go to a place that triggers deeply upsetting memories? I am simply protecting my mental health. It doesn’t mean that my husband and I have a troubled marriage.
Of course it’s Page Six continuing to promote these unsubstantiated rumors.
DC is like LA in that it is very much a company town—politics, in this case. Good on you for knowing what place works for you—it’s often a hard-won skill.
Michelle never wanted this political life and has always been 100% clear about that. She did what she had to do for her husband and now I think she knows his career is over and is going to do what she wants without worrying about the impact on him. He is free to do what he wants and what he feels is the correct thing as a former president but she doesn’t have to.
Trump has been spreading racist lies about Obama for over a decade now. It’s completely reasonable that his wife refuses to be around him or celebrate this godforsaken country electing him.
It is Page Six so many grains of salt are required. And I think skipping the funeral and the inauguration are because she doesn’t want to be anywhere near Trump. All that said, I was surprised at her frankness in her memoir about some of the tough times in their marriage and how unhappy she sometimes was with her husband. People change and grow. Many marriages don’t last forever. Someday this might be one. Apparently, as of now, they are still going strong.
Could they, being empty-nesters, just be off each doing their own thing? They don’t seem to be an “in each other’s pockets” couple. I wouldn’t be surprised that Michelle is so fed up with the political situation, if she didn’t set foot in Washington again for a very long time.
Kids are grown, presidency is over, she have enough. It feels more like now it’s time for MO to do what she wants, not martial problems.
BO seems like a husband who understood the sacrifice and is not letting her do her thing. He doesn’t have to twist her arm like Trump has to twist Melania’s to make her pretend
she doesn’t completely hate him.
If I were her and could opt out from being in the same room as Trump&Co, I definitely would.
lol all the critics would be at their $11M Martha’s Vineyard compound if they had one, too. Seriously. That’s an island where she might not have a ton of anonymity as this time of year there aren’t a lot of people there. But the small group people that ARE there likely recognize her but leave her alone because they’re used to seeing famous folks. On MV she has space and privacy and tranquility which is clearly her focus at this stage of her life. And who could blame her?? She’s done enough and deserves to be left TF alone.
I’m sure they’re fine. They are both highly accomplished adults who don’t have to be together 24/7.
She’s long been clear about her feelings on politics and DC, and has every right to “check out” of all that if she wants to.
She is most likely as fed up with the recrudescence as the rest of us.
Michelle Obama has been the most everything First Lady in my lifetime — their marriage isn’t my business , divorce voyeurism is so gross —- I support her without questions . Though I do hope that Cheeto takes it as a personal FU.
1) as a perimenopausal empty nester, if I had multiple properties I might not spend that much time with my husband either.
2) where is this level of scrutiny for the incoming (blech) first lady?
She’s done her time.
Why keep a house in DC? We know Michelle doesn’t have political ambitions but does Obama? He can still run for an office outside of the presidency — don’t know what in DC, though. Mayor? Anyhoo, this gossip about their marriage is stupid. I too would prefer extending my holiday in Hawaii over coming into a polar vortex in DC anytime, especially now with that mango m8therf8cker as president. Can we speculate about the Trump’s marriage instead? Like why am I paranoid to think that $40 million advancement from Amazon to Melania was a negotiation tactic to get her to stay in DC? Bezos doing a favor for a criminal president. Just saying. All these morally bankrupt oligarchs kissing his ass to get into his favor…
So, can we figure the Obamas are the reason Trump wants to start mass deportations there? No surprise.
It’s also because our governor has been defiant and promised to resist Trump.
If she doesn’t want to go to anything related to politics, she doesn’t have to. SHE was never in politics. Her husband was. She supported him, yes, but she’s not obligated beyond supporting her husband when he was in politics.
Also, she lost her mother in May, 2024. As someone who lost their mother the May prior, grief is a bitch and I have no doubt she’s IN IT.
Leave her alone. She can do whatever she wants and whatever she doesn’t want.
Michelle Obama is one strong woman, strong as steel. She had to be during Barack’s political career and presidency. As a strong, smart, accomplished black woman she knew she’d be pilloried and threatened constantly by the Christo-fascist, racist MAGA right wing but she did her job admirably, the very epitome of grace under pressure. She now has freedom and no more f*cks to give to ANYONE, esp. the orange turd who incited the hateful rhetoric against her. To diminish her reasons for avoiding anything to do with the vile Trumps as merely marital discord is another way to attack them. Page Six is no better than a sleazy broadsheet.
“Camelot relationship”? Like King Arthur and Queen Guinevere are goals?
Literally last night I saw a photo of a friend of a friend’s family with Barack, Michelle, and the daughters in Hawaii that was probably taken in the last two weeks. And if you have a home in Hawaii why would you be in DC in the winter?