Obama says he’s been 'digging himself out of a hole' with Michelle amid post-presidency life

Barack Obama said he has been "digging himself out of a hole" with Michelle since leaving the White House, describing the effort in a broad interview with historian David Olusoga at The O2 Arena in London during a European speaking tour. Speaking to Olusoga, the former president said he has been balancing public life and family life and that he now feels he is on level ground after years of intense scrutiny and headlines surrounding the couple. The remarks came as rumors about the health of their marriage again drew public attention, a topic the Obamas have publicly navigated during their time out of office.

He went on to describe the past eight years as a process of repair, saying, "I have spent over eight years now trying to dig myself out of a hole with Michelle, and that’s been challenging, but I feel like I’m making progress. I’m almost breaking even at the moment." The candid remarks underscore how even a former president and his wife must navigate private matters under the glare of public scrutiny, particularly as they continue to shape their post-presidential identities and public roles.

In July, the couple publicly addressed questions about the state of their marriage during a joint appearance on Michelle Obama’s podcast IMO. The exchange touched on enduring affection and resilience. When Michelle’s brother and co-host Craig Robinson joked, "What, you guys like each other?" she replied, "Oh yeah, the rumor mill." Barack chimed in with a light touch, saying, "It was touch and go for a while." The former first lady then offered a pointed reflection on their partnership, saying, "There hasn’t been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting my man," and adding that she has become a better person because of the man she is married to. The episode, which also featured other guests, followed a period of heightened public interest in their relationship and their private choices as empty-nesters.

Days later, the couple was photographed together in Portofino, Italy, aboard Steven Spielberg’s rumored $250 million superyacht. Photographs showed Michelle arriving separately by tender ahead of her husband, a reminder that the pair’s public appearances have often been staged with careful optics amid ongoing rumors and speculation. The Portofino sighting came after their July podcast conversation and underscored how the Obamas continue to command attention whether they are publicly embracing or quietly choosing to step back from the glare.

Barack Obama said he largely tunes out online chatter about his marriage and that he is not always aware of the latest rumors. "These are the kinds of things that I just miss, right? So I don’t even know this stuff’s going on," he told listeners, noting that when someone mentions the gossip to him, he asks, "what are you talking about?" The couple, married for nearly 33 years and parents to Malia and Sasha, have repeatedly stated that their relationship endures despite public speculation about its fate as they navigate life beyond the White House.

Michelle Obama has used the IMO platform to reflect on life after the presidency, including her description of becoming an empty nester and the sense of personal freedom that comes with retirement from the presidency. She told guest Julia Louis-Dreyfus that, for her, the moment represents a shift toward personal autonomy: "There’s been a release where every choice I make is not about my husband, not about his career, not about my family, not about what my kids need or where they’re going, it’s totally about me." She added with a quip about embracing independence, saying, "This is when we start living, ladies." The remarks have fed public interest in the couple’s evolving dynamic as they balance family life with ongoing public duties.

Beyond personal life, Obama has continued to engage in public conversations about American politics and civil rights. In a recent post on the social-media platform BlueSky, he criticized what he described as a trend toward government pressure on media outlets to muzzle or fire dissenting voices. He wrote that, after years of lamenting cancel culture, the current administration has escalated the practice by threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they silence particular reporters and commentators. He linked to a New York Times op-ed by Ezra Klein defending the First Amendment, arguing that freedom of speech remains central to democracy and should protect a broad spectrum of voices. He stressed that such protections are essential, whether the speaker is a MAGA advocate or a skeptic, and he urged media outlets to stand firm rather than yield to political pressure.

The Obamas have long fielded scrutiny over their legacy and the public’s expectations for their philanthropic and political activities. Some of the discourse surrounding their post-presidency years touches on how the couple uses their influence to shape public conversation on issues like press freedom, civic engagement, and the role of money in politics. While the former president has not sought to re-enter national politics, his public statements and advocacy continue to resonate with supporters and critics alike as he weighs future engagement in public life.

Separately, the Obama Foundation — the nonprofit institution charged with developing the former president’s legacy projects — has drawn attention for funding and budgeting as it advances toward completion of its Chicago headquarters. The center, planned as a hub for a museum, library, and education center in Jackson Park, has seen its budget rise to about $850 million, up from earlier estimates of $300 million and subsequent revisions to $500 million in 2017 and $700 million in 2021. A recent annual financial disclosure highlighted substantial spending, including roughly $90 million in exhibit preparation and $40 million in operating costs for the first year of operation. Executive compensation has also drawn scrutiny: Valerie Jarrett, the foundation’s chief executive, earned about $740,000 last year, with Robbin Cohen, the executive vice president, earning about $610,195 and Tina Chen, the chief legal and people officer, about $425,000. The project features a prominent 83-foot glass window by Julie Mehretu as part of its external design, and fundraising for the center has exceeded $1 billion, aided by a $195 million cash infusion last year. Supporters have argued the center will bolster civic education and cultural programming, while critics question the scale of costs and the allocation of philanthropic funding toward the project.

As the Obama brand continues to influence public discourse, the former president and first lady remain at the center of conversations about personal life, policy, and legacy. Their public comments and appearances, whether in Europe, on podcasts, or in philanthropy, reflect a broader theme of balancing private life with a public platform, a challenge that persists long after the end of their administrations.