Michelle Obama Addresses Divorce Rumors Head-On

Michelle Obama clarified her relationship status by debunking divorce rumors during an April 8 interview on Sophia Bush’s “Work in Progress” podcast.

The former first lady explained the dramatic changes she has undergone since leaving the White House, and candidly addressed the speculation swirling around her marriage to Barack.  Obama said she was enjoying her independence and, when asked what her social life is currently like, she responded, “It’s whatever I want.”

“People couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself … they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,” Obama said. “This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions herself, right? But that’s what society does to us.”

Divorce rumors swirled around the Obamas as the former first lady skipped the funeral of late President Jimmy Carter and the Inauguration of President Donald Trump in quick succession in January.

Obama expressed feeling personally limited when Barack was in office and said she is now able to fully partake in activities she once denied herself.

Obama explained that her dual role as mother to daughters Sash and Malia and serving as the first lady involved immense personal sacrifice.

She recalled making excuses when she declined to do certain events or activities.

“That’s a good get out of jail free card. ‘I’m so sorry, I can’t come. I’m married to the president,’” she said.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 21: U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama dance together during the Comander-in-Chief’s Inaugural Ball at the Walter Washington Convention Center January 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. Obama was sworn-in for his second term of office earlier in the day. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Despite turning down opportunities to pursue the lifestyle she truly wanted, Obama took ownership of the fact that she did so on her own accord.

“Now, you know, I can’t blame my decisions and indecisions on anyone other than me,” Obama said on the podcast.

“I think if I’m honest with myself, I could have made a lot of these decisions years ago,” she said. “But I didn’t give myself that freedom.”

“Maybe even as much as I let my kids live their own lives, I used their lives as an excuse for why I couldn’t do something,” she added.

TOPSHOT – Former US President Barack Obama and former US First Lady Michelle Obama attend the unveiling of their portraits at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, February 12, 2018. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

She noted that her newfound freedom to choose what she wants to do was likely also fueling divorce rumors in the press.

“Now is the time for me to start asking myself these hard questions of … who do I truly want to be every day?” she said.

Obama reflected on the complexity that accompanied these new, deeply personal decisions she was beginning to make for herself— choices that, while freeing, also carried weight and introspection. (RELATED: Rumors Are Spreading Fast As Fans Question Sydney Sweeney’s Relationship Status)

“We start actually going, what am I? What am I doing? What am I doing this for? And if it doesn’t fit into the sort of stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible,” she said.