Michelle Obama recently opened up about another reason she didn’t go to Donald Trump’s second inauguration and it had to do with something as simple as clothes.
On an episode of her podcast IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson, she joked, “It started with not having anything to wear.” But she was actually making a bigger point.
Michelle explained that she usually travels prepared for anything, whether it’s a formal event or even a funeral she always has the right outfit packed just in case. But this time, she made a conscious decision not to prepare at all. “I told my team, don’t even bother getting a dress ready,” she said. “Because if I have it, I might feel pressured to go and do what people expect.”
Before the inauguration, she and former President Barack Obama released a public statement: Barack would attend the ceremony on January 20, but Michelle would not.
That wasn’t the only public event she skipped — she also chose not to attend former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on January 9. These choices led to a lot of gossip and rumors, especially about her marriage. Some people assumed that she and Barack were having problems.
Talking with her brother Craig and actress Taraji P. Henson on the podcast, Michelle shared how frustrating that was. “People couldn’t accept that I was saying no just for myself — they had to assume something was wrong at home,” she said. “But really, I was just making decisions that felt right for me.”
Taraji P. Henson praised her for it, saying women often have to carry the emotional load for everyone else — their husbands, kids, parents, and family — especially when they’re in the public eye. “When do you ever get to just be you?” Henson asked. “I’m proud of you for finally taking care of yourself.”
Michelle also said she’s trying to pass that mindset on to her daughters, Sasha and Malia. She’s teaching them how to say “no” when they need to, and to feel like they’re already enough as they are without having to constantly please people or prove themselves.
In another podcast interview on April 9 with Sophia Bush, Michelle also shut down the divorce rumors once and for all. She said skipping the inauguration had nothing to do with her marriage it was simply a personal decision.
“I’m just learning how to live my life on *my* terms,” she said. “Sometimes doing what’s best for you means going against what everyone expects and that’s not always easy. But I’m learning to choose myself.”
