Barack Obama opens up on his marriage with Michelle, says he was in ‘deep deficit with wife’

Barack Obama said he "was in a deep deficit with my wife" Michelle Obama, during his tenure as the US President. His statement came amid reports suggesting that his eight-year term in the White House took a toll on his marriage to Michelle Obama.

Obama said this while speaking with Hamilton College President Steven Tepper on April 3.

Obama was asked, “But what is life like now out of the White House? What do you do? What do you enjoy doing? How do you spend your days?”

The former US President responded, "Well, right now, at the moment, I’m splitting time between the work for the foundation. Michelle and I set up the Obama Foundation to train the next generation of leaders here in the United States and around the world, and that keeps me busy."

He said, "I am also finishing the second half of my presidential memoirs, which in case any of you feel sorry for yourself, this is like 50 term papers. I mean, it just goes on forever."

"But people ask me, 'Do you enjoy writing?' I say, 'Absolutely not,' but I do enjoy having written when it’s finished. I’m hoping to get to the finish line on that," Obama said.

"Beyond that look, I was in a deep deficit with my wife, so I have been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things," the former US President said.

Obama spoke with Tepper for over an hour, running over time by nearly 20 minutes, to discuss globalisation, the importance of the Paris Agreement, artificial intelligence and the American people’s trust in government despite political affiliation, the Hill reported.

Before Obama bid Hamilton College adieu, he advised those who wish to make a difference in the world not to get discouraged because nothing can be fixed all at once.

The struggle

According to Page Six, Barack Obama previously suggested that his back-to-back terms in office from 2009 to 2017 took a toll on his relationship with the former first lady.

“Let me just say this: It sure helps to be out of the White House and to have a little more time with her,” Barack said in an exclusive May 2023 interview with CBS news, praising Michelle for being “forgiving” of his shortcomings.

The former first lady had earlier spoken about her marriage struggles, saying she "couldn't stand" her husband for about a decade when their two children were little.

She told CBS News in April 2023, "And a lot of young people quit on marriage over things that are just a part of the commitment," she said. "We've been married for 30 years. If I fell out with him for 10, and we had a great 20 years, I'd take those odds anytime."