Michelle Obama FAILS to wish husband Barack happy birthday amid swirling divorce rumors
And as the birthday wishes roll in from countless celebs and political figures - including U.S. Representative Robin Kelly and TV host Claudia Jordan - one particular voice seems to be missing: Michelle Obama.
The former First Lady, 61, known for her thoughtful Instagram captions and sweet tributes, has yet to publicly acknowledge her husband's big day.
The silence is raising more than a few eyebrows - especially given the persistent rumors swirling about the state of their marriage.
Speculation about the Obamas' relationship has picked up over the past year, fueled in part by Michelle's decision to skip several high-profile events, including Jimmy Carter's funeral.
Barack himself added fuel to the fire earlier this spring when he told students at Hamilton College that he was in a 'deep deficit' with Michelle and trying to make it up to her by doing 'fun things.'
The couple, who have been married for nearly 33 years and share two daughters, have only recently started addressing the rumors more directly.
On a recent episode of Michelle's podcast IMO, which she co-hosts with her brother Craig Robinson, the duo got candid about the widespread speculation.
When Robinson teased the couple by asking, 'What, you guys like each other?' Michelle responded with a smirk: 'Oh yeah, the rumor mill.'
Barack jumped in saying, 'She took me back! It was touch and go for a while.'
Despite the jokes, Michelle made it clear she has never considered walking away from the marriage.
'There hasn't been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting my man,' she said on the podcast. 'And we've had some really hard times.'
Still, considering Michelle has given Barack a heartwarming shoutout on his birthday every year without fail, the timing seems concerning.
Just last year on Barack's 63rd birthday, she posted a picture of the two seemingly pushing a boulder and captioned it: 'Happy birthday to the love of my life! Here's to weathering all of life's storms and moving mountains together.'
In another episode of IMO, Michelle opened up about life as an empty nester and what it's been like finally having time to focus on herself.
'This is when we start living, ladies,' she said.
While the message was empowering, some listeners interpreted it as further proof that she is stepping into a more independent chapter potentially away from Barack.
But Barack mentioned that he's often removed from the gossip.
'These are the kinds of things I just miss,' he admitted. 'Somebody will mention it to me and I'm like, "What are you talking about?"'
Whether Michelle's silence is a sign of marital strain or just a missed Instagram post, one thing's for sure: the internet is watching.
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