After nearly 34 years of marriage and despite the challenges of life lived constantly in the public eye, the relationship between former U.S. President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama remains as strong as ever. Almost a decade after leaving the White House, the couple spoke candidly about their life and marriage in an interview with People magazine.
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Reflecting on their relationship, Barack Obama admitted: “I don’t know that it’s been a perfectly equal partnership,” adding, “But it’s worked out pretty well for me. I got more out of it than she did. For Michelle, it’s probably been a more complicated experience.”
Speaking from a sofa inside the newly opened Obama Presidential Center on Chicago’s South Side — the place where they met, married, and raised their daughters Malia and Sasha — the couple looked back on their past while also embracing the next chapter of their shared legacy. “My husband always thinks about how to shine the light on others,” Michelle noted, before turning her attention to the new Presidential Center: “This project is his vision from start to finish. He made sure to create a space dedicated to the community — a place where neighborhood residents would feel welcome and could truly make use of it.”
So much of my story—and Barack’s—runs through the South Side of Chicago. We had so much fun going down memory lane with @People, sharing moments from the decades we’ve spent together, the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, and the work we still have left to do in our next… pic.twitter.com/TULZEYrhiX
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) June 24, 2026
For his part, the former President was quick to emphasize the collective nature of the endeavor: “I want to make sure that people will see all those on whose shoulders we stand. This is a collective effort. I think Michelle felt surprised but also proud that we pulled it off… I realized this meant a great deal to her.”
The couple spoke with remarkable honesty about the deeper foundations of their marriage. “I realized almost immediately — and as it turns out, I made a very good choice — that this was an extraordinary woman with the integrity, the character, the intelligence, and the values that would make me better. Just being with her has made me a better person, and it continues to do so,” Barack Obama confessed.
“We act as a counterbalance for each other,” Michelle Obama explained, adding: “He has always been my anchor. It was like he was saying, ‘I’m here, I’ve got you.’ And no matter how hard things got — through all the ups and downs — he’s always there for me.” “And she keeps me grounded and steady. We’ve done just fine,” Barack Obama concluded.
