Barack Obama Fuels Split Rumors After Caught Leaving Private NYC Club Without Michelle
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on May 4, 2025 at 2:30 PM EDT
Barack Obama is raising eyebrows once more after being spotted out in New York City without his wife. Michelle Obama, marking yet another high-profile outing the former first lady skipped.
Rumors of a possible split began swirling back in the winter, when Michelle was noticeably absent from two major events, former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Barack Obama attended both solo, sparking speculation about the couple’s status.
Barack Obama’s Recent Outing Ignites Speculation About Split From Michelle Obama
More recently, the 63-year-old former president was seen on Friday night leaving the exclusive ZZ Club in Hudson Yards, dressed in an all-black suit and accompanied by his sister Auma Obama, per photos shared by Daily Mail.
The upscale private club, known for its Japanese restaurant, cigar terrace, and the world’s only private Carbone, was just the latest stop in Barack’s string of solo appearances.
Meanwhile, Michelle has been on her own tour of sorts, frequently photographed dining with her brother Craig Robinson, her cohost on their new podcast "IMO" (In My Opinion). The two have been seen laughing and promoting the show across media appearances, with Michelle stepping out in February for another dinner at LA hotspot Mother Wolf, the same place she and Barack were last seen publicly together in December.
Michelle Obama Breaks Her Silence On Divorce Rumors
As the divorce rumors continue to swirl, Michelle offered a cryptic response during an interview on Sophia Bush’s "Work in Progress" podcast, addressing the chatter, without really shutting it down.
"That's the thing that we as women, I think we struggle with disappointing people,” she said. “I mean, so much so that this year people were, you know, they couldn't even fathom that I was making a choice for myself that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing. That this couldn't be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right?"
At the time, her team chalked up her absence to “scheduling conflicts,” citing a pre-planned holiday trip to Hawaii, but the vague explanations didn’t exactly help kill the rumors.
Barack Obama Gets Candid About Marriage Struggles
Barack also openly recognized that marriage, particularly one lived in the public eye, can be challenging.
During an April 3, 2025, conversation with Hamilton College President Steven Tepper, the former president reflected on the ups and downs of his 33-year marriage.
With a touch of humor, he admitted that the demands of his presidency had put him in a "deep deficit" with Michelle, adding, “So I have been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things.”
Michelle Obama Gets Real About Marital Struggles
As The Blast reported, in a brutally honest interview with Revolt TV back in 2022, the former first lady opened up about some rocky years in her marriage to Barack, revealing that there was a whole decade where things were far from picture-perfect.
“People think I'm being catty by saying this, it's like, there were 10 years where I couldn't stand my husband,” Michelle confessed. “And guess when it happened? When those kids were little.”
According to Michelle, the imbalance came during the early years of their family life, when Barack’s political career was on the rise and she was shouldering most of the parenting responsibilities. The pressure and exhaustion took a toll, and the resentment was real.
She also addressed the common myth that marriage is always a clean 50/50 split. “There were times when I was 70, he was 30,” she shared. “There were times when he was 60, I was 40.”
What mattered most, she said, was having a partner who kept showing up, even on the hard days.
Barack and Michelle Obama Post Valentine’s Tributes, But Fans Still Aren’t Convinced
Despite being seen separately more often than not, both Obamas have taken to social media to show united front vibes.
On Valentine’s Day, Barack posted a sweet tribute, writing, “Thirty-two years together and you still take my breath away. Happy Valentine’s Day, Michelle Obama!”
Michelle echoed the love, sharing the same photo and adding, “If there's one person I can always count on, it's you, Barack Obama. You're my rock. Always have been. Always will be.”
Still, social media posts haven’t stopped fans from noticing their increasingly separate schedules. Barack was seen dining without Michelle last month in San Francisco, and again in L.A. at a high-end Japanese-Californian spot, this time with his daughters.
And while Michelle’s wedding ring was spotted during a visit to The Academy headquarters in North Hollywood, the separation rumors continue to simmer.
