“If they get a divorce it’s their business” — Internet reacts as Megyn Kelly addresses Barack and Michelle Obama split rumors

Journalist Megyn Kelly has addressed rumors of former US President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama separating. On January 23, 2025, the journalist shared the divorce rumors on her show, The Megyn Kelly Show.

She also shared that multiple reputable journalists and insiders are claiming that Obama is allegedly dating actress Jennifer Aniston. Kelly said the rumors aren't confirmed, but if the couple gets divorced, it would be "a political earthquake."

"I don’t know whether it is true, but if it is, it truly would be a political earthquake in Democratic circles, never mind America."

As clips from the show went viral on social media, netizens jumped to give their opinions on the speculations. A netizen on X (@loveiseternal20) said,

"If they get a divorce it’s their business."

Netizen comments on the couple's divorce. [Image via X/@loveiseternal20]

Some netizens on X found the speculations hard to believe. They said Barack Obama wouldn't "toss his legacy" away, as the divorce would "cement stereotypes." Another netizen suspected Michelle Obama might be having a health issue.

"I honestly hope this is not true. President Obama and Michelle always showed a tight bond and a strong nuclear family. It would devastate the girls. And, it would cement stereotypes," a netizen on X wrote.

"Barack is not about to toss his legacy out the window. Michelle and Barack are stuck together forever. It's a business relationship as well as a political. They take it to the bank literally," another said.

"I don't believe it is true. I think it may be more likely she is dealing with a health issue. In the last few photos of her I've seen, she looks so tired," a user commented.

Some netizens suspected their marriage was ending but remained skeptical about whether they would officially divorce. Another user did not seem to care, as their divorce would not affect others. However, they expressed that they look forward to the memes.

"I 100% believe their marriage is on the rocks. I'm just skeptical they will ever officially divorce. Barrack leaving Michelle for a white woman would absolutely demolish his political capital and I think they have every financial incentive to pretend like they are still happily married, even if it's more of a business arrangement," an X user wrote.

"Meh. If they divorced, I'd still have to get up tomorrow morning and go to work. My life would not change at all. Nor would anyone else's that's not immediate family to them. The memes would be epic, though. I'll give you that," another user commented.

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Barack and Michelle Obama: Relationship timeline

Barack And Michelle Obama (Image via Getty)

According to Business Insider on January 17, 2024, the couple first met in 1989 at Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago, where Michelle was appointed as his mentor.

Barack Obama then asked her out, and the two started dating. In October 1992, the couple married at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Further, in July 1998, they welcomed their first daughter, Malia Ann, and in June 2001, they had their second daughter, Natasha.

In 2020, the former president released his memoir, A Promised Land. In it, he shared their love story and how he fell in love the day he saw her.

"She was tall, beautiful, funny, outgoing, generous, and wickedly smart — and I was smitten almost from the second I saw her," he wrote.

While the former first lady promoted her book The Light We Carry in 2022, she appeared on Revolt's Michelle Obama special with the panelists Tina Lawson, Kelly Rowland, H.E.R., and Winnie Harlow.

In the show, she revealed that the couple had a few rough patches in their marriage, and for ten years after the birth of her kids, she could not tolerate her husband because they started "measuring" tasks. She said,

"The minute we had kids, it was like, ‘Where are you going? And how far?‘ And you start measuring — like, ‘How many diapers did you change?’ and ‘Oh, you’re golfing? Oh, you got time to golf? How are you at the gym all the time?’ That’s when all the measuring starts because you got this project."

In January 2024, Michelle appeared on Jay Shetty's podcast On Purpose and discussed how their marriage is not perfect. She said that "some broken things" happen in all marriages, and the rough patches are not "quit-worthy."

"I don't want people looking at me and Barack like 'hashtag couple goals' and not know that no, no, there are some broken things that happen even in the best of marriages," she said.

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Michelle Obama's absence at former US President Jimmy Carter's funeral on January 9, 2025, fueled the divorce rumors. Meanwhile, actress Jennifer Aniston denied the relationship rumors with Barack Obama after it made headlines in October 2024.