Obamas spotted together on NYC date night after Michelle admits she's in therapy amid divorce rumors

Daily Mail​

7 days ago

Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were seen together in public on Tuesday evening for the first time in six months, stepping out for a date night on Manhattan's Upper East Side amid months of speculation about the state of their marriage.
The couple was spotted leaving The Lowell Hotel restaurant accompanied by a full entourage of Secret Service agents who cleared the sidewalk as the Obamas left the the boutique hotel.
Their appearance marked the first time they've been photographed together since December 2024.
Michelle, 61, led the way as the couple walked toward their waiting black SUV.
Dressed black dress and black heels she appeared to flash a broad smile to onlookers and cameras. Her hair was tied back in a bun and she carried a small black clutch.
Trailing just behind, Barack, 63, looked more pensive. He wore a black wool overcoat and dark grey pants as he made his way to the vehicle.
The outing comes after months of swirling speculation that the Obamas' marriage has hit a rough patch with the rumors only fueled further by Michelle's noticeable absence from several high-profile events in recent months, including January's presidential inauguration and the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter.
Social media and the tabloids have all amplified claims that the couple may be heading for a split.
Barack and Michelle Obama are seen together for the first time in six months as they were seen leaving The Lowell Hotel restaurant in Manhattan on Tuesday
Earlier this month, Michelle addressed the rumors head on during an episode of the podcast The Diary of a CEO.
'If I were having problems with my husband, everybody would know about it,' Michelle said.
She dismissed speculation about marital issues emphasizing that her decisions to skip certain high-profile events were personal choices aimed at prioritizing her own needs, rather than any indications of marital discord.
During the podcast Michelle acknowledged that marriage is 'hard' for her and the former president but added that 'I wouldn't trade it,' calling President Obama, 'as the young people say... my person.'
'The beauty of my husband and our partnership is that neither one of us was ever really, ever going to quit at it, because that's not who we are. And I know that about him. He knows that about me.'
Michelle has been open about her marriage struggles throughout the years and particularly on her new podcast, IMO (In my Opinion), which she hosts with her brother Craig Robinson.
The Obamas have been married for 32 years but have faced ongoing rumors about their marriage status over the last several months.
Michelle has shared that the former president was broke when they met and that she had to be convinced to support his bid for the White House.
'Being married to the president of the United States [is a] thing that that none of us kind of banked on. We knew Barack was smart and ambitious, but, you know...' she said.
Michelle also addressed the rumors directly on an episode of actress Sophia Bush's podcast.
She said her decision to skip President Jimmy Carter's funeral, and President Donald Trump's inauguration, were simply decisions she made for herself.
Her absence at both high-profile political events stoked divorce rumors, as did President Obama's admission that he was in a 'deep deficit' with his wife.
'That's the thing that we as women, I think we struggle with disappointing people. I mean, so much so that this year people were, you know, they couldn't even fathom that I was making a choice for myself that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,' Obama said in the podcast episode, released Tuesday.
'That this couldn't be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right?' she continued.
Michelle added: 'That's what society does to us.'
'We start actually, finally going, "What am I doing? Who am I doing this for?" And if it doesn't fit into the sort of stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible.'
Earlier on Tuesday, shocking footage captured the moment two female Secret Service agents fought with each other outside the Obamas $8 million DC mansion.
The altercation unfolded May 21 at around 2:30am as the former president's security detail grappled next to a police vehicle.
In audio before the fight shared by RealClearPolitics reporter Susan Crabtree, one of the Secret Service agents was reportedly heard calling for a supervisor as she threatened to attack her colleague.
'Can I get a supervisor down to Delta two immediately before I whoop this girl's ass,' the agent in the audio said.
In a statement to DailyMail.com, a Secret Service spokesperson said the fight came as the agents were on-duty. It is unclear if the Obamas were in the home at the time.
'The individuals involved were suspended from duty and this matter is the subject of an internal investigation,' the statement read.
'The Secret Service has a very strict code of conduct for all employees and any behavior that violates that code is unacceptable. Given this is a personnel matter, we are not in a position to comment further.'
It comes a year after a Secret Service agent assigned to then-Vice-President Kamala Harris was removed from duty after she got into a physical fight with her fellow agents.