Obama says he’s been digging himself out of a hole with Michelle during European tour

Former President Barack Obama told a London audience Wednesday that he has been "digging myself out of a hole" in his relationship with Michelle as he described how his White House years strained their marriage. The remarks came during his European speaking tour at the O2 Arena, The Standard reported.

Obama said time in the White House eroded the relationship, calling it a "challenge" to repair. He noted public signs of strain when Michelle did not accompany him to former President Jimmy Carter's funeral in January, and she skipped President Donald Trump's inauguration about a week later. "I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself in with Michelle... Now I'm at about level ground," he said, according to The Standard.

The former president also addressed Donald Trump's recent comments on autism and Tylenol, accusing the president of "violence against the truth." "We have the spectacle of my successor in the Oval Office, making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have been continuously disproved," Obama said. "The degree to which that undermines public health, the degree to which that can do harm to women who are pregnant, the degree to which that creates anxiety for parents who do have children who are autistic — which, by the way, itself is subject to a spectrum, and a lot of what is being trumpeted as these massive increases actually have to do with a broadening of the criteria across that spectrum so that people can actually get services and help," Obama said. "All of that is violence against the truth."

The notes recount that the Trump administration had signaled plans for a major autism research initiative, and Obama’s remarks came as critics pointed to those statements. Earlier, Trump had teased a major announcement, saying at a memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk that "Tomorrow we’re going to have one of the biggest announcement(s)… medically, I think, in the history of our country. I think you’re going to find it to be amazing." The notes also describe Tylenol maker Kenvue disputing the administration's claim that acetaminophen could be linked to autism, saying independent science shows the medication is safe for pregnant women and does not cause autism.

The exchange underscores Obama’s ongoing effort to engage global audiences on domestic political issues, using a personal lens to discuss public challenges and policy disputes as he tours Europe on a speaking circuit.