Michelle Obama, former U.S. First Lady has revealed the personal reasons behind her absence at President Donald Trump’s second inauguration earlier this year.
Speaking on the April 23 episode of her podcast IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, which she co-hosts with her brother, Obama explained that the decision was deeply intentional and rooted in her evolving commitment to self-care and boundary-setting.
In a candid conversation with actress Taraji P. Henson, Obama addressed the backlash she faced for choosing to skip both Trump’s inauguration and the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter on January 9.
“People couldn’t understand why I said no,” she said. “They assumed my marriage was in trouble because I was making decisions for myself — as if a woman making a personal choice couldn’t simply be about her own well-being.”
Obama noted that for years, she’s lived under immense public scrutiny, often feeling pressured to “do the right thing” even when it didn’t align with her needs. This year, however, she chose differently.
“It took everything in my power to not do the thing that was expected, and instead do what was right for me,” she shared. “I had to go as far as telling my team not to even prepare an outfit — because once there’s a dress, it becomes easier to cave.”
The former First Lady also emphasized that her actions were part of a broader message to her daughters, Malia and Sasha, about the importance of boundaries and prioritizing one’s own needs.
“I want them to start practising the art of saying ‘no’ now,” she said. “Women, especially, are raised to please, to perform, to be grateful — but rarely are we taught that we’re enough just as we are.”
Michelle Obama had previously discussed similar sentiments on the Work in Progress podcast with Sophia Bush earlier in April, calling out the societal tendency to judge women harshly when they prioritize themselves.
“This year, people couldn’t imagine I was making a personal decision without drama behind it,” she said. “It had to be about divorce, or scandal — not just a grown woman choosing what’s best for herself.”
She concluded her remarks with a powerful message:
“I feel like it’s time for me to make some big-girl decisions about my life — and own them, fully.”
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