Michelle Obama Details 'Constant Work' In 'Evolving' Marriage To Barack Obama

Most marriages require work, and Barack and Michelle Obama are no exception. 

Mrs. Obama recently got candid about her 33-year marriage to the former President of the United States, revealing that they have had to constantly put in effort to keep their marriage going. 

Amid the divorce rumors circulating about the high-profile couple, they seem to be going strong and even came forward to publicly address the rumors and certify that they were untrue.

Mrs Obama made an appearance on the most recent episode of Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast.

During the revealing discussion, the former First Lady shed light on her marriage to Barack, noting that, like any other, it is still a work in progress. 

The 62-year-old author revealed that she and her husband came to the realization that while they are married to each other, they ultimately don’t “have control” over each other. Instead, they work on themselves as individuals, before coming together “as whole people.”

Michelle further revealed that they have been in therapy, and it has helped strengthen their communication even more.

“We’ve been in couples therapy. I believe in the practice of having those conversations with objective people who help you piece through that stuff, and it’s a constant, it’s constant work,” she said. 

The former First Lady also emphasized the importance of focusing on self-empowerment as a way of improving oneself outside of a relationship. 

“Start working on your health. Start feeling strong within yourself. Start practicing self-esteem… Work on being as whole as you can be, because you can’t control who’s gonna love you, who’s gonna like you, who’s gonna give you a job, who’s gonna see you the way you wanna be seen, because everybody has their own stuff,” she added. 

Michelle’s candid revelation comes months after she and her husband addressed divorce rumors during yet another candid conversation.

In July 2025, The Blast reported that Barack and Michelle spoke about their marriage during an episode of the “IMO” podcast. 

Michelle noted that rumors were quick to fly, especially when she and her husband were not together at every waking moment. “When we aren't [in the same room], folks think we're divorced,” she quipped. 

In the same breath, she declared her undying love for Barack, saying that there hasn’t been a time in her marriage when she has thought about “quitting” her “man.”

She admitted that while they have had their “hard times,” there have also been “fun times,” and she has ultimately become a better person as a result of her marriage to Barack. 

While Michelle was aware of the divorce rumors, Barack was blissfully in the dark. He revealed that while the rumors were making headlines, he was unaware of the perception the public had about his marriage. 

“These are the kinds of things that I just miss, right? So I don't even know this stuff's going on. And then somebody will mention it to me, and I'm all like, 'What are you talking about?’” he said.

Just as the Obamas came forward to clear the air on divorce speculations, they were also honest about their challenges as a couple. 

Last year, Michelle was featured on an episode of Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang” podcast, during which she opened up about struggling to agree on a thermostat setting with her husband. 

“Sometimes I get in the bed, and I'm freezing. Other times, it's like, 'Oh my God, take my skin off,’” she recalled, per The Blast.

She noted that while it was a “struggle,” it was just one of the many realities of living with a partner. Sometimes she would wake up in the middle of the night, suspecting that he had changed the setting, but he would deny it every time. 

Despite their little arguments as a couple, Michelle acknowledged that her husband did a good job of making time for their family, even while he was president. 

She shared that no matter how occupied he was with dealing with his presidential duties, Barack would always try to “leave it at the door” and make an effort to sit with his kids at the dinner table.

“It was important for both of us, for me and Barack, to carve out that time in those eight years when our girls were in their formative years, you know,” she shared, as reported by The Blast.