Obama Jokes He’s ‘Still Digging Out of a Hole’ with Michelle

Barack Obama just gave fans a rare—and hilarious—peek into married life after the White House.

During a recent appearance at the Jefferson Educational Society in Erie, Pennsylvania, the former president didn’t hold back when asked about life post-presidency. His answer? He’s been busy trying to stay out of trouble with Michelle.

“I have spent over eight years now trying to dig myself out of a hole with Michelle,” Obama said with a smile. “And that’s been challenging, but I feel like I’m making progress. I’m almost breaking even at the moment.”

Cue the internet speculation.

For months now, rumors have swirled online that the Obamas may be headed for divorce. Things hit a fever pitch earlier this year when Michelle skipped both President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and President Trump’s inauguration. Some fans jumped to conclusions—and Barack’s own comments may have only added fuel to the fire.

Back in April, he admitted he was still making up for lost time. “I was in a deep deficit with my wife,” he told Hamilton College President Steven Tepper. “So I have been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things.”

Michelle, however, has made it crystal clear that she’s not here for the gossip.

Speaking candidly on her podcast “IMO” in April, the former first lady addressed the swirling divorce talk head-on. “People couldn’t believe that I was saying no for any other reason. They had to assume that my marriage was falling apart,” she said.

In a joint episode of her podcast in July, Michelle’s brother and co-host Craig Robinson playfully asked the couple, “What, you guys like each other?” Barack’s response? “She took me back! It was touch and go for a while!”

Despite the laughs, the former president didn’t shy away from more serious matters during his talk in Erie.

He addressed the recent shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10. While Obama offered condolences to Kirk’s family, he also pushed back against some of the controversial statements Kirk had made during his lifetime—including a 2023 podcast in which Kirk claimed Michelle Obama and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson “stole a white person’s slot.”

“He’s a young man with two small children and a wife… so we have to extend grace to people during their period of mourning,” Obama said. “At the same time…I can say that I disagree with the suggestion that my wife or Justice Jackson does not have adequate brain processing power.”

Obama, now 64, has been increasingly vocal in recent months. He’s issued pointed warnings about what he sees as the dangerous direction of the country under Trump’s second term. In a post on X last month, he criticized what he called the “militarization of local law enforcement.” And in July, he slammed the White House for the “constant nonsense and misinformation.”

He’s also shown public support for California Governor Gavin Newsom’s battle against gerrymandering in Texas.

While Barack’s humor and candor made headlines, it’s clear he’s balancing personal transparency with a growing political voice. But for now, he says, he’s just trying to stay on Michelle’s good side.

And honestly? Who can blame him?