Former U.S. President Barack Obama has made a candid revelation about his marriage to Michelle Obama, admitting he’s been trying to recover from a “deep deficit” amid ongoing divorce rumors.
Speaking at Hamilton College, Obama addressed students during a session moderated by the school’s President, Steven Tepper. When asked what he’s currently working on, the 63-year-old former president said he’s been focused on finishing the second half of his memoir, describing it as an overwhelming task.
“This is like 50 term papers. I mean, it just goes on forever,” Obama said. “I’m hoping to get to the finish line on that.”
But it was his comment about his marriage that drew the most attention.
“Beyond that, look, I was in a deep deficit with my wife, so I have been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things,” he admitted.
The remark comes amid persistent speculation about a possible divorce between Barack and Michelle Obama. The rumors intensified after Barack attended the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter alone and was also seen at Donald Trump’s inauguration without Michelle.
During the event, Obama also took a jab at Trump’s controversial political conduct, expressing disbelief at what the former Republican president has allegedly gotten away with.
“Imagine if I had done any of this,” he told students. “It’s unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me—or a whole bunch of my predecessors.”
The former president’s remarks have reignited public interest in the Obama marriage, fueling both concern and curiosity about the status of their relationship.