Barack Obama addresses 'marriage woes' with wife Michelle in surprising comment

Barack Obama has made a rare admission about his marriage troubles with wife Michelle.

The former First Lady previously spoke out about rumors that her marriage to Barack Obama was on the rocks in July, revealing it was a load of tosh.

Michelle tied the knot with the former Democrat POTUS in 1992, and they have been going strong ever since.

However, when she was notably absent from some high-profile events, including President Donald Trump's inauguration in January and the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, speculation about the state of their marriage ran rife.

The Becoming Netflix star previously slammed divorce rumors on various podcasts, and once was heard stating that 'everyone would know' if they were separating during an appearance on The Diary of a CEO.

Barack Obama got candid about his marriage (MANDEL NGAN / Contributor / Getty)

"If I were having problems with my husband, everybody would know about it," she told Steven Bartlett, adding: "I would be problem solving in public. I'm not a martyr."

On her own podcast, IMO, she revealed she didn't attend Trump's inauguration for a personal decision that was met with 'ridicule and criticism'.

"People couldn't believe that I was saying no for any other reason. They had to assume that my marriage was falling apart," she declared.

Obama, for his part, has been largely silent on his marriage, but shockingly, he has now admitted to ‘digging’ himself ‘out of [a] hole’ after they left the White House.

“I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself with Michelle,” the former President told historian David Olusoga at the O2 Arena in London on Wednesday, according to the Daily Mail.

“Now I’m at about level ground,” he admitted.

This comes after he revealed in April his work as POTUS from 2009 to 2017 took a toll on their relationship.

“I was in a deep deficit with my wife,” he said to Hamilton College president Steven Tepper. “So I have been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things.”

In 2023, he said leaving the White House allowed him to ‘have a little more time with her.’

He said he had to dig himself out of a hole (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / Contributor/ Getty)

As for his wife, she shared that she struggled with some things, but now she’s taking time for herself.

“That’s the thing that we as women struggle with —-disappointing people,” she said to Sophia Bush on her Work in Progress podcast in April this year.

“So much so that people, 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,” she added.

She decided to take herself away from the spotlight, but quietly expressed her love for her family in other ways- like on Father’s Day.

Michelle said her husband has 'always been there' for the family as she penned: "I love looking back at photos like this of when our girls were younger.

"@BarackObama has always been there for us no matter what — even when it felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. We’ve always been so grateful.

"To Barack and all the dads and father-figures celebrating today, Happy Father’s Day!"