Speculation arose earlier this year when Barack Obama attended former President Jimmy Carter\u2019s funeral alone, without Michelle at his side. The rumors only<\/p>\n
grew louder days later when Michelle confirmed she would not be attending Donald Trump\u2019s second inauguration\u2014sparking questions about whether the famously tight-knit couple was going through a rough patch.<\/p>\n
Now, Michelle is clearing the air. In a recent episode of Work in Progress with Sophia Bush, the former First Lady addressed the whispers head-on, explaining that her decision to skip certain public events had nothing to do with problems in her marriage.<\/p>\n
When I say \u2018no,\u2019 most people understand. But some assume something\u2019s wrong\u2014like Barack and I are headed for divorce,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard for people to grasp that I might simply be making choices based on what\u2019s best for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"