In a newly released podcast with her brother, former First Lady Michelle Obama opened up about aspects of her private life, according to The New York Times.
The podcast, titled IMO, debuted on Wednesday, and the trailer offered personal reflections on Michelle’s marriage—coming amid swirling rumors of a split between her and former President Barack Obama.
“I couldn’t have gotten through eight years in the White House without my big brother,” Michelle said, referring to her time as first lady from 2009 to 2017.
“… being married to the president of the United States [is a] thing that that none of us kind of banked on. We knew Barack was smart and ambitious, but, you know…” she added, hinting at the unexpected nature of their journey.
The podcast, hosted by Michelle and her brother Craig Robinson—executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches—will feature the duo answering listener questions about “the challenges you’re grappling with in life… whether you’re navigating the gray areas of marriage and raising kids, or dealing with a little friend drama—or even figuring out how to put yourself out there in the dating world.”
Michelle shared that she has never been fond of politics, and it was actually Craig who persuaded her to support Barack’s run for president.
Throughout the series, the hosts will talk about Craig’s divorce from his first wife, as well as his marriage to his current wife, Kelly McCrum Robinson. They also plan to address the ongoing speculation surrounding Michelle and Barack’s own relationship, which has been the subject of widespread discussion in recent months.
The rumors gained so much traction that some outlets even claimed former President Obama was romantically involved with Friends star Jennifer Aniston. Aniston, however, put those rumors to rest during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, clarifying that she’s only met Obama once.
Michelle and Craig will also bring on various celebrity guests—some of whom were featured on her earlier show, The Michelle Obama Podcast, including filmmaker Tyler Perry, and newcomers like actors Seth Rogen and Keke Palmer.
In addition to her own podcast, Michelle recently appeared on Work in Progress, a podcast hosted by actress Sophia Bush. There, she spoke about adjusting to life now that her daughters have left home.
“[Life] is whatever I want, Sophia. It’s whatever I want,” she said, describing the freedom of being an “empty nester” as liberating.
“It’s the first time in my life all of my choices are for me.”
Michelle also reflected on the broader societal expectations placed on women, explaining that when women begin to prioritize themselves, it can be met with misunderstanding or criticism.
“That’s the thing that we as women, I think… we struggle with disappointing people. I mean, so much so, that this year people were… they couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing.”
Much of the speculation was fueled by her absence from events like Jimmy Carter’s funeral and Donald Trump’s inauguration.