Michelle and Barack Obama Were Spotted Together in Public for the First Time in Six Months

Michelle Obama and her husband were seen out and about this week, marking their first joint appearance since December. Their outing followed Michelle's absence from several public events that her husband attended alone, which fueled rumors of a possible divorce.

After six months without being seen together publicly, Barack and Michelle Obama broke the streak by enjoying a date night in New York City. The outing took place amid ongoing speculation about trouble in their marriage.

Publications shared social media images of the couple leaving The Lowell Hotel restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, flanked by Secret Service agents. Following their outing, the former first lady and the former president of the US walked toward their black SUV.

The 61-year-old author smiled while wearing a black dress and matching heels. She had her hair tied back in a braid and carried a small black clutch bag. Barack, 63, followed closely behind with a serious expression, dressed in a black suit.

Upon seeing the couple together, netizens quickly reacted online. Focusing on Michelle's cheerful expression, one person commented, "With the look on her face, it was a good outing, [sic]" while another questioned Barack's demeanor, asking, "Why's [sic] he look so angry?"

Noticing the same, a viewer remarked, "He sure does not look HAPPY in this picture, while out with Michelle." Another person speculated, "They wanted spotted together. There's too many rumors about their divorce. They don't really look like they're together. They look like they're out for a photo op. [sic]"

Adding more fuel to the speculation, someone else commented, "That picture doesn't scream happy couple." Another person opined, "They might have been together that day but it's very obvious they are not "together" [sic].

Someone on X wrote, "Very rare anymore. They clearly aren't together. Ah well, not sure they were anything more than conveniently together for politics anyway. [sic]" Meanwhile, another fan shared, "People want them to be miserable and heading for divorce so bad…."

The couple was last photographed together in December 2024. Speculation about a possible split intensified due to Michelle's noticeable absence from major events this year, including January 2025's presidential inauguration and former President Jimmy Carter's funeral.

However, Michelle has denied the divorce rumors. In April 2025, during an interview on the Work in Progress with Sophia Bush podcast, the mother of two clarified that her absence from certain events was a personal decision aimed at prioritizing her own well-being.

She shared that women often grapple with "disappointing people" and are expected to give so much of themselves that, this year, "people couldn't even fathom that I was making a choice for myself; that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing."

Michelle emphasized that if her choices "don't fit into the stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible." Sophia Bush praised the couple's happiness and expressed admiration for their life, including their ability to travel between places like Hawaii to celebrate Michelle's birthday.

Despite public speculation, the Obamas' recent outing appears to reinforce their bond. Their story continues to intrigue and inspire those who follow them.

As previously reported, when Michelle chose to skip President Donald Trump's 2025 inauguration, she eventually broke her silence on her controversial decision, and set the record straight.

"My decision to skip the inauguration, you know, what people don't realize from my decision to make choices at the beginning of this year that suited me were met with such ridicule and criticism," she explained.

"People couldn't believe that I was saying no for any other reason, that they had to assume that my marriage was falling," the former first lady added.

Michelle didn't name names, but she made it clear that skipping the event was part of a larger, intentional shift in how she approaches her life. Her absence from the inauguration raised eyebrows as it has become a tradition for former presidents and their wives to participate.

"Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration," a statement from the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama revealed.

With Barack attending solo, and every other former president and first lady present — including Bill and Hillary Clinton and George and Laura Bush — Michelle's no-show fueled a wave of speculation.

Rumors of marriage trouble swirled as critics pointed to her absence, particularly in light of her skipping former President Jimmy's funeral just three months prior. CNN's Jeff Zeleny reported that she was "still in Hawaii on an extended holiday vacation" and could not attend due to a scheduling conflict.

But now, Michelle has provided her side of the story — and it has nothing to do with her marriage. "I'm here, really trying to own my life and intentionally practice making the choice that was right for me," she added.

It wasn't the first time Michelle had a difficult emotional experience surrounding Donald's first inauguration. Back in 2017, after the Obamas left the White House, she admitted that she was "uncontrollably sobbing" once the doors to Air Force One closed.

"That day was so emotional for so many different reasons. We were leaving the home we had been in for eight years, the only home our kids really knew," she continued.

She had just watched a sea of faces at the new president's swearing-in that she said lacked diversity — a sharp contrast to what she and Barack had worked to represent. "There was no reflection of the broader sense of America," she recalled. "No, I was not [in a good mood]! But you had to hold it together like you do for eight years."

Now, several years removed from the constraints of political life, Michelle is finally putting herself first. Appearing on the April 9 episode of "Work in Progress with Sophia Bush," the former first lady opened up about the personal freedom she's found since leaving the White House — and the pressure she felt to make choices that were never really hers to begin with.

"I can't blame my decisions and indecisions on anyone other than me," she admitted during the podcast. Reflecting on her past, she acknowledged the excuses she used — motherhood, her role as first lady, and the constant demands of public life — to avoid making choices for herself.

"I used their lives as an excuse for why I couldn't do something," she said. Now, Michelle describes her current chapter as both empowering and daunting. "It is whatever I want...all of my choices are for me," she told Sophia.

"But it's also a little scary because as a mom and a busy person I always had...it was somebody else's excuse. Why didn't I do this? Why haven't I gone there?" she added.

Michelle even poked fun at her former constraints, joking, "That's a good get out of jail free card. 'I'm so sorry, I can't come. I'm married to the president.'"

Ultimately, her decision to skip Donald's inauguration was a moment of personal agency — one that symbolized her ongoing journey to reclaim her own voice and desires.

"It took everything in my power to not do what was right or the thing that was perceived as right," she said, "but do the thing that was right for me." However, this shift in perspective wasn't an easy choice. "It was an important test for me just as a woman, as an independent person," she revealed.

"Because, like all women on a lot of levels, I operate from guilt. What should I do? What is the best thing for everybody else? Right? Because it's easier for me to say, well, I did this because it was what I was supposed to do. Right," Michelle added.

In the end, Michelle Obama's decision was never about public opinion. It was about something deeper — a choice she knew she had to make for reasons only she needed to understand.